Freedom always has a price
by Kazama the shell bullet
Summary: A young revolutionary that wanted nothing to help the good people, but founds the world corrupted. Nothing was true and everything he tried keeping true to his dream. He has seen others fallen die tragic death and felt his life fade once. He struggled for ten years fixing his broken and mentally damage mind. He learns dreams don't die so easily be meeting a boy wearing a Straw hat.
1. Chapter 1

**Disclaimer: **This is purely fan made work of fiction. One piece is owned by Oda and the only thing I own is the OC.

**Summary: **A crew member is on the political side on World matters. His dreams and ambitions were cut short by World Government. He once thought about helping the world with knowledge, but found out the reality of how people acted. He finds that changing the World will require to dream and chance. Little did he know his boss asked him for a favor? He gave him a chance to relive the dream and be a knight that carries a king. No matter how many times it will hurt him again. A rewrite to 'A Price for Freedom' and it will be soon taken down.

MY OC's name is Lightning D. Farron and for a reason it describes why he left his island. He left his home at the age of 8. Hopefully to test his knowledge and love for science, to be the smartest was his goal. He comes from an island not in the World Government's clutches. It still retains many of the old technology that Void Century had. Making them advance than the Kakakuri Island. He meets Chopper the reindeer training to be a doctor and relates to his pursuit in being a doctor to being a top scientist in the field.

…

**Prologue**

…

On an Island as sea shifted blood along the shore. Mangled bodies and destroyed ships were in the distance. Eight headed beast swimming away as it submerged into the water. As a smaller beast cried as it looked towards the desolate shore. It was looking at the lone figure that was still alive before it submerged into the sea. Someone was running down the shore crying.

It was a girl in teenage years with sandy blonde hair and grey eyes. She wore a disheveled white top under battle armor. She dropped her spear as she ran over to lone body. She got there to only see tears in her eyes at the sight before her.

A boy at the age of thirteen wearing heavy body armor was ripped, torn, cut, shot, and smashed in areas. Blood oozed out from his body as he had a broken sword resting in his hands. She could see broken bones and organs exposed from battle. She saw his eyes were red with blood and his hair color was unrecognizable as well.

"Why didn't you run, you knew you couldn't…" She mumbled.

"It's ok; it was to help save your island… even if I didn't have a shot. Trying something would be better than nothing…" the boy gasped. He had some shallow breathing.

"It's your fault, this happened because of you!" another boy's voice was heard. He was older than the two. He ran up to him as he kicked him in the side. He coughed out blood as she panicked. As other people were coming down to the shore. "You keep trying to impress her even while you are trying to die."

The boy was gasping for air as best he can. "Why…" he muttered.

"Stop it he didn't do anything wrong! I asked him to try to stop it. Don't bring your jealously into Noctis. All he wanted to do is help." She pushed him away.

He pushed away as she hit the ground hard. "He comes here and steals you away. He made me look like a fool and almost killed me! I might as well kill you now, while I have the chance."

Someone knocked him over the head. A man with a green cloak looked down at him to see he was in pain. "Hikari, if you can hear me? Please use what is left of your strength to freeze yourself!" the man shouted.

His vision was fading as he looked up to see the man. He had black hair with a widow's peak, red tribal mark, and a frown on his face. The water of the sea formed over his body as it was quickly freezing his body.

"Dragon…" he wheezed.

"Save your strength to freeze yourself…" he muttered. The ice formed all across his body. It was a big block of ice that finally formed.

"Will he be okay, Dragon-san?" the girl asked him.

"He said freezing people can help put him into suspended animation. We need experienced doctors on hand to help make this possible. The longer he is in it, the worse it is for him." He explained.

Several men hoisted him up with a cloth as a huge to carry him to a ship. "Sir, he is here…" one man muttered. They noticed a big figure in a huge cloak

"It is very good that you came." Dragon thanked him.

He took off his gloves. "Where do you want me to send him?"

"We need to go Drum Island to look for a doctor. A very good one that can help save his life, they are known to be the best doctor in the world."

"You want everyone on the ship to go to Drum Island as well?"

"Of course," said Dragon.

"Was it my fault for siding with you?" the girl asked him.

"No Princess Ashe, it was never your fault. They thought your revolution was my army."

"We need to go now." The big one stated.

"Is there anything to do to support you?" Ashe asked them.

"You offered us asylum and a place to resupply. We may need the money to fix him up if it gets too bad."

"Then I will pay for his doctor bills then… it's the least I owe him." She explained.

"It's up to you, but he is one of my men…" Dragon explained as he disappeared with the big one. The girl sat there crying as she watched the boat vanish in an instant.

…

A man woke up as he looked up to see blaring white lights stationed inside the tree house. He was moving a bit slower than usual. He noticed a small blur in his eyes. He quickly noticed humanoid reindeer sitting beside him. He had thick brown fur, hard hooves, and strong antlers. But he had a blue nose, wore a pair of purple slacks, and a pink top hat with a white 'x' on the front of it on its head.

"You're finally awake," the reindeer spoke.

Hikari groaned as he moved around. "Thank you Chopper…" he groaned.

"Doctorine's medicine is really strong and your surgery went well." He was checking his body over.

"How come do I have still to take some surgeries for minor things still?" Hikari asked him.

"Because you didn't replace any of your organs… on top of it you should be dead from that incident ten years ago. I was even surprised to see your bones actually healed and your nerves were not damaged. Doctorine was even surprised to see the rest of your body working."

"Doctorine said I was healed completely healed." Lightning wondered.

"You get new wounds or some broken bones from battle still." Chopper answered him.

"That's because I have to work to eat or do my experiments you silly Reindeer." Lighting tickled him. He giggled as he rolled around laughing.

"_Chopper the talking reindeer, all thanks to Hito-Hito no mi (Human-Human. People and Reindeer alike treat him. It took him awhile to warm up to me, but seeing I spent four years here recovering and learning under Kureha for a while about medicine in return for her services. I spent the majority of my time coming back to see Chopper. Sending him Birthday and Christmas gifts were second nature to me. He was almost like another sibling to me after this point."_Hikari thought.

They saw the door open as they Kureha has finally come home. Dr. Kureha wore black high-heeled cowboy boots, tight purple pants with a jagged pink design going up her left leg, a short purple blazer with yellow stripes going down the arms, and a white t-shirt with cherry blossom petals that bared her midriff and exposed her pierced navel. From the neck below the woman looked like she was in perfect shape and looked like a woman in her mid-twenties. But above the neck Dr. Kureha had long whitish-gray hair, a wrinkled face, a crooked witch-like nose, and wore a pair of glasses. She was clearly a very eccentric old woman.

She was huffing for a moment as she looked at Hikari. "Get up and get dressed! I need you fight like the stubborn person you are!" Kureha shouted.

Hikari put Chopper down on the table as looked towards the corner with a mirror. He looked up at the mirror; he saw his blonde hair stick up. His blue eyes looked up at the mirror. He began to slip on a white shirt over his muscular frame. He slipped on a black flak jacket that had pockets and it had gold trims.

"What is the problem?" Hikari asked her. He turned a bit to her, while he was slipping on black boots. He slipped over a black mask for his lower side of the face.

"The King and his men have fled the country before the fight even began!"

"You serious…" Lightning muttered.

"Several towns have been attacked and plundered for treasure already. Dozens of people are wounded and without a doctor now due to the doctor hunts that quack King Wapol has started. As a duty as a doctor, we have to make sure the violence is quelled first before treating." Kureha explained.

"You're trying to say that prevention is just a good policy as treatment." Hikari muttered.

She laughed at him as she lowered her shades. He was putting on a white cloak that covered his body. He slipped on his black gloves. "Of course, but if they continue how can we form a new country."

"Where are they anyway?" Hikari asked him.

"They were heading towards Robelle Town; they have a good pub there if I correctly remember." Kureha explained.

"What I can do?" Chopper asked them.

"You shall stay as support for now. Not everybody thinks the world of you, Chopper. They may think you will attack them and also you lack real battle experience." Hikari explained.

He picked up a huge rifle and placed it on his back, it has a more advance look than the standard rifle. It looked more futuristic more than anything else. He walked towards the door to pick his sword off his wall. The sword was six feet tall as he attached it to his back. It had a green and red braided silk wrap around the handle. It had a gold pommel, but no hilt. The broad side of the blade was imprinted gold flower like pattern.

"It seems you want us to stick to side until it is over." Kureha explained.

"We are the only three doctors on this island and only one of us needs to get hurt. I will try to be back as soon as possible, hopefully with no injuries." He explained.

Kureha nodded as she looked towards Chopper. "We have lot of patients that need our help now Chopper." Kureha explained to him. Chopper nodded as he helped grabbed several medical supplies.

"We are lucky that Hikari brought a big batch of medical supplies to us. Wapol basically shut off the market for imported medical supplies." Chopper noted as Kureha saw the Hikari disappearing.

"_This country has fallen to a pirate flag, though it was a hidden blessing and a curse at the same time. Wapol fled with his cabinet and the twenty doctors under him. Hopefully this nut of a student I have can finish the job before it gets worse. Several towns have already fallen since these pirates since they just arrived." _Kureha thought.

…

Hikari finally made it to Robelle Town; he laid down on a rooftop. He sat down as the snow covered his body for camouflage. He took a picture of these pirates as he studied their appearance. He saw one massive middle aged man wearing a black captain's cloak he had a red shirt that was open. He had crooked nose and some missing teeth as well. He was laughing heartily while a wrestler was beating on another man. Another one was carrying a gun that had a tall build. As another had a cane in hand as he almost looked like some mime? The last member looked like old man on a tired horse.

"Captain are we done plundering this island?" the wrestler asked him.

The captain laughed. "The King ran away before the fight began. Thank goodness this place had some good supplies. I just wished I can get a proper boat one day! Let's go!"

A bullet whizzed by as it shot the horse as it fell over and trapped the rider from moving.

"Sniper!" one man with the rifle shouted.

"Van Augur, go find the sniper before he tries to take out the whole crew!" The captain ordered

A rifle sound without hitting the man with a top hat. Van Augur looked around with the scope of his sniper rifle. He saw something flying through the air. It looked like a cylinder object flying above them. The panels in the side opened up. He looked up in shock.

"Captain, it's has…!" Van Augur was cut off. A rain of shrapnel rained down on them causing to scream in panic. The cylinder object fell into the group of pirates as it exploded. The man with top hat and cane escaped the area. He had wings on his back as he flew away. He was also shot in the stomach knocking him into the ground.

"The sniper is on that roof Captain!" the man shouted.

"Good job Lafitte!" the big man shouted.

He dropped his rifle to get up from his building. He looked to see the wrestler of the group was able to fight still. He picked up a building with brute strength as he jumped up into the air.

"Take this you bastard!" he shouted.

"I beg to differ." Hikari muttered. He swung his giant sword as pressurized wind slammed into the man before he threw it.

"What the-!" he muttered. The blade of wind slammed into his stomach. A large gash appeared on his stomach as he lost focus to the task at hand. The building fell on top of the man it collapsed causing debris and dust to fly in the air.

"Lafitte and Burgess!" the captain shouted.

He picked up his rifle and attached it to his back. He looked over to his handy work to see four down pirates struggling as the captain looked at him.

"Four down and one to go…" Hikari muttered.

"Who the heck are you and why are you attacking my men?" the man shouted.

"I should ask you fools that in return. You think because you have no opposition that you will roll over the island. Besides your plundering and looting is hurting this island." Hikari lectured him.

The man laughed to himself as he looked at him. "Well… I almost forgot. I have no manners at all, my name is Marshall D. Teach or Blackbeard if you prefer.

"_So this man is a D. as well. This man may be dangerous now or in the future." _Hikari reasoned.

"You have to understand giving my full name is dangerous seeing I can be hunted down in the future. You can call me Hikari, and I am sorry that it has to be this way. If you leave now you may leave with your lives intact. I made sure to not give them fatal blows." Hikari suggested.

He laughed as he saw his crew stirring around. "Thank you for doing that, but we need this money and supplies. Unless you have a big boat filled with supplies than we can leave peacefully." Teach suggested.

"Well it looks like we are at a bypass… the only boat you are looking for was the King's boat. He left before you already arrived."

"Then why are you protecting this country then." Teach asked him.

"This land had an abundant source of good doctors here at one point and time. Even without a king, people can rebuild. You are taking the things they need to live off in order to survive. I owe my life to this doctor I call Sensei and she asked to get rid of you one way or the other. So don't take it personally, it just has to be this way." Hikari explained.

"I see then, but before we do anything else. How about you become my nakama, Hikari?"

"Why would I want to be your nakama?" Hikari wondered. "What are your goals?"

"I want to become Pirate King of course. I have the ability and strength to become the strongest man in the World!" Teach laughed.

"Then the answer is no, I have other obligations to be you're…"

***BOOM***

His speech was cut off as the sound of a rifle went off. Van Augur smirked as he saw the person stagger back. As the bullets bounced off harmlessly as they looked shocked.

"Nakama." Hikari finally finished.

"What the heck is going on?" Augur muttered.

Hikari looked at his cloak to see some black marks on it. "My coat has a metal weave imbued into it. When electricity conducts it makes it a light weight armor and stronger than steel. Though…" Hikari explained.

He disappeared from view. "Knowing that it won't help you win this battle." Augur turned around to the man. Only to see him kicked him through a window as Hikari turned to face the captain.

"It seems like we will have to fight if I want to save my men. Go back to the boat, while I deal with him!"

Everyone was complying with his order as they were helping each other. They were running out of town as Hikari snapped his fingers. "I almost forgot to tell you I placed a number of mines around the exit of the town that goes towards the sea."

Blackbeard eyes widened up as he turned to his men. "Everyone don't run towards the boat-"

***BOOM***

A huge fire engulfed that side of town as Hikari slashed him down the chest. Blood flew from it as Blackbeard screamed in agony.

"If you just took me up on my offer this wouldn't happen at all. Let alone I can't leave with the treasure you have stolen quite so easily." Hikari explained.

Teach was panting heavily as he looked at the blade. "That's a nice blade you got their boy… it cut me up pretty good." He muttered.

"It's called Senjou no Datta (Battlefields of War) a sword used through war and battle for almost nine centuries. It was made from a fallen star they said…" he explained. He quickly jumped back to get distance from Teach.

"It seems like I will have to use that to beat you." Teach muttered.

"It seems you have a devil fruit…" Hikari inquired.

He waved his arms up as black cloud covered his hands. "Of course," Teach confirmed it. "Look, even among Logias it's unique!"

As a black wave of darkness spiraled into the air as Hikari took note of it. He collected the blood off his sword into a vial. "It seems you don't have ability like me…" he muttered. The darkness blocked out the sun. "I am darkness!"

"Darkness…" Hikari muttered.

"That's right Hikari; I can't get killed by you! Out of all the devil fruits recorded in history, the one with this power is known as the most evil of them all! The Logia Fruit Yami-Yami no mi (Darkness), I've become the man of darkness! I will give you a taste of its power." he laughed.

A wind blade strike cutting him Teach stomach, though the wind was sucked in by the darkness. He laughed as Hikari frowned. "The power of darkness can absorb light, bullets, strikes, fire, and Lightning. None of moves can hurt me!" Teach shouted.

"_Shit this asshole has this devil fruit normally I would just use my skills and weapons do the talking. I might have to use sea stone weaponry and my ability to quail this man._" Hikari thought.

"Though I see this fruit doesn't let you avoid damage, your body absorbs more pain than a normal human. What a troublesome ability?"

Blackbeard slammed one hand down as darkness oozed out along the ground. "Black hole!" he shouted. The ground was covered in black smoke as Blackbeard was covered in black smoke. He felt the ground give way as he was stuck. The black smoke that covered Blackbeard was gone.

Hikari was sinking in the ground as he noticed bicycle was crushed and absorbed by the darkness.

"I have to admit you are really good fighter and you can stand up to some of the gravity exerted by darkness."

Hikari raised one hand up. Blackbeard noticed what he was doing.

"I knew you might have some type of ability in reserve, but it's useless to bring it out now! There's no devil fruit power that can work against me!" Blackbeard ran forward with a punch.

Hikari swung his sword come down from his hand. Blackbeard caught it and smiled. "Vortex!"

He shouted and to notice it was being swallowed by the gravity. "You're trying to keep your distance so you can use your devil fruit power. Smart, but that's not good enough!"

"I'm guessing it drags in and nullifies even the powers of devil fruits." Hikari muttered.

"Of course and you're powerless to stop me!" Blackbeard shouted. He slammed a black covered into his stomach. Blackbeard saw he tensed his muscles to take the blow as he grunted.

Hikari pushed pack cutting him in the side. "It hurts…" He shouted as blood came out.

'_Arrogance and thoughtlessness are his real weakness.' _Hikari thought. He managed to jump away from the black smoke on the ground. He was panting as he looked towards the sea.

"Well let's take this fight elsewhere; I can't let this town be destroyed in the process. I am wondering what your nakama are doing!" he shouted. He jumped from rooftop to rooftop to avoid the ground.

"Damn, he is going after my crew!" Blackbeard stopped his ability. He ran towards the sore trying to catch him. His size made it impossible to keep up with him.

…

Blackbeard made it down to the shore as he looked around. He saw his crew was ok and sitting on the raft he called his boat. "Hey Augur, where did that guy go?" Blackbeard shouted.

"He is sitting up in the tree, Captain!" he shouted towards him. A bullet hit teach piercing him in the side. He grunted in pain as he let black smoke capture the bullet. He looked up to see him putting his rifle up.

"You keep surprising me each turn! But I will finish this fight and collect my treasure." Blackbeard laughed.

"Your right about one thing, this fight is finished!" Hikari shouted. He waved his hands as Teach noticed cold sensation around his leg. He looked down to see the water from the sea wrapped around his ankles. It pulled him high into the air and dropped into deep water. Hikari smiled behind his mask.

"By tiring him out and take his mind of me. I created a battle strategy using one of my elements I control. Water is even worse for devil fruit users if it's goes above their knees. It looks like you can never get rid of sound tactics." Hikari muttered.

Blackbeard was pushed up for a moment. He was waving his arms frantic "Save me! I can't swim; I'm a hammer in the water thanks to my devil fruit." Blackbeard shouted. "It's so cold!"

"Then surrender and I will let your men save you!" Hikari shouted.

"Alright I agree!" He shouted. Hikari waved his hands as he pushed down making a small ice platform. Blackbeard was shivering to himself as Hikari jumped out of the tree.

"You are lucky that water can be manipulated into other things…" he muttered.

"It seems like fate dictated this battle to favor him. The power to control water sounds frightful to devil fruit users." Van Augur muttered.

…

A couple of minutes passed as Teach sat on a raft with a hot blanket. "You got me there really good, so it turns you are a pro on the sea. I have to admit the power of water is devastating!" Blackbeard laughed.

Hikari had the treasure bag they took from the island. He had extra big sack from the boat they carried. "Since I am being really nice today, I will let you guys keep the food and medical supplies. But Marshall D. Teach swear an oath to me to never comeback. Vow never to pillage or lay harm to citizens of this land along with your nakama and any future nakama." Hikari stated.

He nodded yes. "Very well then, I Marshall D. Teach. Vow to never to come back to this island with any nakama again. I will never pillage or harm any of the citizens on this island. I will uphold this oath to day I die." Teach swore.

Hikari nodded as he kicked their boat of the shoreline. "It's good enough, but be sure to pick up a log pose that avoids this island!" Hikari shouted.

He saw Blackbeard was laughing it off casually as they sailed away.

"Just like that… you let them leave." A voice muttered. Hikari turned around to meet the man. He saw the man had black hair that was slicked back and a goatee. He wore fur lined green tunic with armor covering his arms. He was carrying Spade with a large T-shaped handle.

"I see your one of Royal Knights… Dalton. I heard you were locked up for challenging the King." Hikari inquired.

"You could have easily killed him." Dalton explained.

"In the end are the actions we choose. By dropping to his level, how do you set an example to others? There has been enough pain for one day; in one punch that nut almost broke my ribs. Luckily I have collected some of my blood for my research." Hikari muttered. He handed the one sack of stolen goods to Dalton. "Be sure to give that back to the proper residents. I have to go see…"

"You're the witches apprentice… I thought I recognized the cloak appearance." Dalton muttered.

"You best be lucky she cared enough to inform me of this situation. The name is Lightning D. Farron and I'm foremost scientist. Too pay back to debt I owed for saving my life. I learned medicine for four years to help build more advance machinery. You should be mindful of what you say until you personally meet someone. By the way only friends call me Hikari." Hikari informed him.

"I see then, but you my thanks." Dalton held out his hand. Hikari looked at it for a moment. He shook his hand.

"You're welcome, but I have to go…"

"You're a doctor right… the people seem at ease getting treated by you. She will no doubt be busy helping people on one side of the island. Come to Bighorn with me so I can spread the word. We need a doctor on site that people nearby can go to." Dalton pleaded.

Hikari sighed as he nodded. "Very well, my medical supplies are on my boat. It's stationed near Gyasta; give me some time to dig up my whole load. I was lucky to buy all this stuff and bulk. It seems it won't go to waste now."

Hikari agreed and waved him on to follow him. Dalton soon instructed him towards a nearby sleigh with Rams tied to it.

…

Lightning sat down looking at the calendar to see a week has pass since the incident. He was writing in his journal and checking his finance books.

"_I'm lucky to have the power to control elements, though my power isn't restrained to elements. I can write things down and even they are affected as well. I didn't eat any devil fruit power and I can still swim. But my powers all depend on certain factors. Stamina must be achieved and new experiences help increase the spiritual energy in my body. I think my powers are supernatural or considered magic. It saved me from getting beat around in a fight that used darkness to his advantage. I was wondering can I go outside the original five elements I already use. Fire, wind, Lightning, water, and earth the five elements that compose my fighting style._

_Water was my first element I discovered at a young age. Water cannot be forced or hastened. It had to flow a certain path and learning Tai Chi from my mother was given. It helped me when several fights across the sea, though my grandfather has told me never to rely on my abilities. I always mind his lessons to me. If I use too many I can get tired and let my guard down. I learned how to wield weapons and create them. My mother told me I was some sort of Prodigy, so I used my talents to help my everyday life and others around me._

_Earth is element of substance; it revolves me keeping my feet on the ground to make it possible to bend it. It's mostly a defensive style that makes me endure attacks and counterattack at the right moment. It's not my style in keeping still unless defense is a must. _

_Wind is almost the same as water; it's flexible and follows the least path of resistance. The last two elements are the most annoying ones to pull off. Creating fire requires body heat and the air around me and often uses up more of my energy. I can also create Lightning by focusing my bio-electricity since storms are a rare occurrence._

_Overall the terms of speed for the different elements can create gaps my opponents can exploit. I can bend one at a time and I need to focus otherwise it will be useless._

_Overall I am in a good mood since last week. The extra medical supplies I bought turned out for the best. I ended up making quit a lot of money for my troubles. I made up 25 million beri and I gained 200 million beri from the Blackbeard pirates. On that note I sent word out for people who knew him just in case. For whoever will fight him, I know it will not be pleasant. I had the drop on him. _

He finished writing as he placed a picture of the crew in a separate book. He put up his stuff in his backpack. "Come in Doctorine, the door is open. There is no need to knock it down." Hikari assured her.

She opened the door as she walked in along Chopper who was in walking point. "I see you made off with potential patients over the past week. I was wondering what you were doing here in this hotel." Kureha wondered. She closed the door as Chopper jumped on the bed.

"If you want money then say so, I got their treasure worth 200 million beri." Hikari answered her.

"If I wanted your money I would have asked it for a long time ago. I need another favor from you boy." Kureha asked him.

"Doctorine wants you to help move our stuff to the castle." Chopper told him.

"That's all…" Hikari muttered. He picked up the little reindeer over his head.

"Of course, and I have lots of stuff to be move. The stupid trolley is a pedal system and a woman like me shouldn't have to do such a thing." Kureha complained.

"Very well then… lead the way."

"But first I want you to cut down all the ones leading it. Then tie it around my tree house so it's only exclusive to me."

"I might as well take the ride up and find an extra cable first. Then let Chopper stretch it all the way down to your house." He explained. He slung over his backpack.

"Hikari, are you planning to leave again?" Chopper asked him.

He nodded. "I will have to leave soon with a friend for a job pretty soon. But I have time to do this for you. Am heading to East Blue and hopefully it will not end up as some type of fight." Hikari explained as Chopper pouted.

"What is the sea like?" Chopper asked him.

"I told you plenty of times it has magnificent sights in some places. On the Grand Line itself, it's like random jack and box at times. You will meet things even weirder than you Chopper. Your problem is smaller than you think." Hikari reassured him.

"But I have a blue nose." Chopper inquired.

"Girls will think it's cute and it's just genetic mutation to me." Hikari reassured him.

"But I can talk."

"That's because you ate Hito-Hito no mi, devil fruits are often misunderstood by most people. They even think regular people are freaks as well and my condition. I would be the biggest one, I didn't even eat one."

Kureha smirked as they walked out the hotel. No one noticed the reindeer on his head.

"How about this I will buy some more books and sweets? Then I will make sure to send it to you by bird. That way you can enjoy when I am away." Hikari suggested.

"Really, can I have a big basket of sweets?" Chopper shouted in joy.

"Honestly you spoiled him too much." Kureha muttered.

"Well between my sister and me, she is quite worse. She doesn't even give a reason on why she sends Chopper sweets. Besides that we should get this started before it gets too dark." Hikari explained.

…

Several hours passed as Chopper was pushing the final things in the castle. Hikari was pushing the doors closed as Kureha looked at giant stone doors. Chopper was busy moving the stuff upstairs.

"Something wrong… I managed to open some of the doors inside the castle?" Hikari asked her.

"Nothing's wrong, but it looks like Wapol took the key to armory." Kureha noticed.

"I can easily make a key, just give me a moment." Hikari explained. He saw the lock was quite different from others.

"It seem like this lock uses teeth or husks from an animal…" Hikari muttered. "The normal pick pocketing tactics go out the window. Using heat or cold methods to copy the lock will warp the door. If I knock the door down or blow it up. It may destroy parts of the armory."

"If Wapol comes by again the island, we can get the key in the meantime. Have you found the treasury room yet?" Kureha asked him.

He motioned her to follow her as they headed through castle as Chopper followed. The three found the dungeon, a bedroom belonging to Chess, a huge kitchen, twenty MD labs stocked with medicine, a medical ward. The group made it to a vault that was underground. Hikari noticed it was mostly electronic.

He smirked walking up to as he pulled out a device. He began to decode the pass code and he punched in the numbers. The first door opened as he noticed another one with locks. He placed an electronic pick lock on top of the lock. He walked over to the other. It took him some time as the locks finally to sync as they both clicked. He backed up to see the vault open.

The three saw a huge amount of treasure stacked up in piles. Kureha smirked as she walked up to it. She walked in to pick up a chart off the side of the wall.

"It seems that this runt the old king had spent majority of his money on food. There are several things on the list that shows this fool just bought expensive and yet foolish. I knew he was going to run this country into the ground in a matter of time. The vault only carries five hundred million berries." Kureha muttered.

"That's a lot of money! But what is so bad about the amount?" Chopper asked the two. They looked at him with worry in their eyes.

"Chopper, I can understand you don't know the value of money. This is below a billion and Kingdoms like this are designed to have several billion beri on hand. Before Wapol took rise the amount of money here _was _over five billion." Kureha informed him.

"Meaning he neglected his people to live and a life of luxury. Meaning he was unfit to become a king of this country. At the most a treasury is used to help bailout the Kingdom when it's in troubled times. He was killing this country faster than any pirate could ever do." Hikari explained.

"Are we going to leave all the treasure here?" Chopper asked him.

"Of course Chopper, this country will need money before it's renamed. The issue of Wapol coming back is the people's main concern. That idiot did not take a log pose with him. So the odds of him coming back so soon will be high." Kureha explained.

Hikari shut the door on the vault. "Then perhaps you should invite the exiled doctors back to the country." Hikari suggested.

"We will wait for his return and kick him out personally." Kureha explained.

"You do realize we are the only three doctors in the Kingdom? I am saying you need to start up a medical school."

Kureha waved it off drinking plum wine. "That's crazy, who like to visit a monster and a witch."

"You want to make a bet on that?" Hikari asked her.

Kureha turned to him. "I bet you can't find for at least one person for a hundred million beri."

"Challenge accepted, and I will find as many as I can. I will tell them of your tendencies and who you are? That way there will be no surprises and I might as well get all women. I don't want any men giving you any surprises."

"You are inviting more people to become doctors? I am monster!" Chopper panicked.

"We will see about that Chopper, but in the meantime. I need to take my leave and look for some people then. Then I will head off to East Blue for my job." Hikari headed out the door and towards the exit.

"Sometimes I wonder why I didn't just take his money after he was healed and let him be." Kureha sighed.

"You noticed his technology he created was very advance." Chopper explained.

"He has heart of a mad scientist inside him or some crazed battle warrior. Oh well it's not like he can get people to come see me." Kureha laughed.

…

Hikari was on the phone in East Blue as he had a smirk on his face. He was navigating his boat towards East Blue. Or more likely the computer was helping navigate the boat. He was calmly watching sea for any trouble.

"I hope you like your four new students; I managed to get all women too." Hikari joked.

"You go out your way and in two weeks you find the most willing people to become doctors. Hell you even told them of Chopper and he is scared to death on how they treat him. Now I lost 100 million beri to you over some challenge." Kureha complained.

Hikari could tell she was a bit mad, but relived at the same time. "You know I didn't bet you any money in return. But this is to also help Chopper with his human problems. On another note this is good for rebuilding the country. I know you're the best at handling new students and medical field. Besides that it's better to have some extra hands available. That way you don't have to stress over everything." Hikari explained.

He heard a sigh coming from the other side of the phone. "You always use nice and flattering words to get girls to do anything for you." She laughed.

"I didn't learn search thing from any man or use my charm. It was the way I was raised by my mother."

Hikari looked up to see a pirate boat in the distance as he frowned. "It seems I got some uninvited guests Doctorine and I just made it to East Blue. I was hoping to avoid this type of stuff. But if you have a small luxury class ship disguised as a battle ship." Hikari muttered.

"Well… that was Chopper and yet again he knocked down almost knocked down the chemistry set. I have him teaching the class for the moment, but it looks like I have to oversee it. Chopper will call you back as soon as he receives his gift from you. This is a learning experience for him as well." Kureha explained.

Hikari put the phone on the ringer. He picked up his sword as he walked to edge of the boat. He saw those shooting cannonballs at him. They were trying to scare him as he looked at the pirate flag. It had a whale and two swords stuck through it. He raised his sword high as he swung making high pressurized wind cut through the boat evenly.

He saw the pirates were singing a different tune as many panicked trying to get off their boat. He saw a big guy lunging around a treasure chest and a sword. He jumped over towards the dingy. He kicked him in the mouth as he fell unconscious.

"Captain Billy," a pirate shouted.

"Are people from the Grand Line monsters?" someone shouted. Lighting picked up the blue scabbard containing the katana. He noticed it had silk blue wrap around the handle and the end of the sword had a mountain symbol on it. He picked up the treasure chest with one hand. He easily jumped back over to his boat. He tossed the newly acquired items on his ship which was passing by. He picked up the Captain and jumped on his boat.

"Sorry to leave you guys, but I got to jet. I'm taking your captain with me it seems like he got a bounty." Hikari explained. He quickly sailed off to see pirates yelling at him and cursing him.

"Captain Billy a bounty of 3 million beri and you wield one of the fifty skillful Works of Good. It doesn't compare to the blade I carry, I might as well sell it off. But I wonder what's inside this treasure chest."

He opened it see a huge stacks of jewels and gold. He quickly closed it as he looked towards the distance. "Loguetown is where the Great Pirate Age began and where the Pirate King died. People from all over the world became pirates and search of his treasure One Piece. It drove countless souls of the past for the past twenty-two years. I been to East Blue before and it's the weakest one of the seas." Hikari muttered. He checked his hostage to see if he was awake. He was satisfied at his unconscious state.

"Though what most people don't realize that the people in East Blue have to get tougher quick. They may turn out to be famous people in the future. I wonder why Mr. D called me out here. He isn't even here yet. He must deal with coup d'état in Vira… so I will play around until then. I first need to talk to locals on where I should go."

He heard a phone go off in the helm as he walked over to it. He saw a phone number blare of it as he saw Mr. D. It was codename to say name Monkey D. Dragon. The world's most wanted man and the Revolutionary army leader.

He slowly picked up the phone to speak. "Hello you need something from me?" he asked Dragon.


	2. Chapter 2

**A/N Hello it's me again! I would like to say sorry for taking down the first real chapter. I had to modify it due to people saying Sabo was alive still. So I will leave it open ended, but I tried to confirm if he was dead by reading the Green Data book. But the Anime and creator left it open ended. So I would like to hear your thoughts why Sabo should be in the story and why didn't he come to save Ace. Though enough ranting I hope you enjoy this new chapter and what way do you think Lightning should join the crew. I hope you all had a good weekend, but see you guys later.**

…

**Chapter 1**

**Destiny's Call**

**...**

It was a bright sunny day as boat sat near Loguetown. Lightning looked up into the sky as he frowned. "It seems like the weather will turn for the worse."

Several men were walking over to the platform to pick two crates off his ship. "Hikari-san, there is not a dark cloud in the sky. It's still a sunny day after all." He explained.

"I can sense when a storm approaches after all..." he looked up to see the men. "Is the stuff good and along with the report?"

"The supplies you offered are wonderful and they can fit some of our men. Mr. D is about in town watching things I believe. So you have some free time for yourself to stock up."

"What is the word on why he diminishing my role with organization?" Lightning asked him.

The man frowned. "Well after the incident ten years ago that almost killed you. He figured you wanted to keep working on your dream and live without any regrets. Your information and skills contribute greatly to our cause. He wants you to be free to pursue your own interests."

"I see he regrets even sending me on that crazy mission all these years ago."

"Well yeah, he regretted it… so you go anywhere you choose now." He explained. He saw several of the men hoist the crates off someone else.

"I'm sensing you don't want me to leave eh…" Lightning muttered.

The man nodded. "You did so much and for a good reason too. Mr. D believes that even if you are not with us. He believes you will change the world in your own way. Your technology will help open up eyes one day to the truth of the world."

"But I have to be careful and not hand it out to everyone at first. Too much of a good thing can be a bad thing. Don't worry even I'm not working with organization directly. I will still try to help you along in some way. So get back to Mr. D and tell him I'm going out to shop."

The man nodded as he soon ran off after the men. Lightning looked at his helm and dropped the anchor. He looked down to see his clothes were lazy looking. "I need to get dress properly and look around the town for some supplies. I need to stock up on everything before the storm hits. I might as well take a cart to town with me." He muttered.

He walked over to his boat.

…

It took a good him thirty minutes for him to get ready. A cart was already wheeled out on the paved street. He walked out onto the deck checking out his clothes. He wore a grey shirt that was hidden by a green flak jacket with pockets, black pants, black sandals, and grey coat that went down to his knees.

He attached a belt around his hip that had several leather pouches attached to it. He picked up Senjou no Datta that covered by a huge cloth and attached it to his back. He slung a white backpack on his back. He pulled out a small device and clicked it. He saw several shutters closed over the several compartments of the ship.

He pulled his cart along with him as he moved his way towards Main Street. It soon noticed a ship down the far in of the harbor. It was a big ship that had a pirate flag with clown symbol. It had a circus theme to it as he noticed no signs of life were there. He lifted his hood up and quickly walked by to see if anyone was there. It was hidden quite well by the buildings nearby despite its size.

He quickly jumped on the rear of the ship, leaving his cart nearby. He quickly scanned the boat before he took a silent step. He made his way towards the captains quarters as he checked for any security involve like Den-Den Mushi.

He walked up into the cabin without a problem as he quickly noticed a safe aboard the ship. He quickly unraveled his cloth from his sword. He slashed them open as he saw money burst out of it. He quickly put the money and his backpack.

"_A good five million in the safe… I wonder if there any more money onboard the ship." _Lightning thought.

He quickly moved about the ship checking its interior for anything else. He found that the ship had nothing else to offer. He quickly made his way back to his cart to take off. He slung his backpack on the cart. He soon noticed several people with cloaks were scouting the area for people.

"_Lucky me… I got there before they all got back to their boat. A quick five million to add to spending expenses to buy the important things needed for the sea. I need food, medical supplies, chemicals, art supplies, engineering supplies, fabric materials, and probably pick up some new luxury items." _He thought.

"Someone stole my treasure!" someone shouted in a high pitch. Lightning smirked finally heading towards the entrance of the town.

…

Another boat with a pirate flag came into the distance into Loguetown. A boy with a straw-hat rode jumped off a figurehead of a ram from the front of the ship. He had a smile on his face as he looked at the town. He had black hair and eyes; he also had a scar under his left eyes that had two stitches. He wore a red vest, blue shorts, and sandals.

"I can see Loguetown!" he shouted.

A man with green hair and black eyes just woke up. He looked out towards the sea, while he had his right hand on white sword. He wore black trousers tucked inside black boots, a plain white shirt with three undone buttons at the collar and his green waistband.

"So we are finally here eh Luffy." The swordsman muttered.

"Yeah Zoro, and I can't wait to see the place where the town where Gol D. Roger lived and died." Luffy told him excitedly.

A girl with orange hair and light brown eyes walked up to them. She wore a plain navy blue, short-sleeved shirt, a dark blue mini-skirt with white rings on the sides, and navy blue high-heeled sandals. Let's try to hide the boat away from any prying eyes. We need to make sure that it's not in front of any cannons." She informed them.

A boy in the crow's nest was using a telescope looking at the shore. He had tanned skin, a long Pinocchio-style nose, and curly black hair. He had greenish bandana tied on his head over his black hair and was wearing brown overalls, brown shoes, had a white sash around his waist, and a bag with a lot of supplies stuffed in it.

"I see a side of the island has natural cover from the cannons… it seems to be some type of yacht stationed there as well. We should drop anchor there Nami" He told the girl.

Money signs popped in her eyes. "That means the person who owns it is rich. That means we can acquire more money to get supplies." Nami shouted in joy.

"Miss Nami, you smile always brightens up my day!" a blonde hair man swooned happily. He wore his hair was long enough that it hid his left eye, but his right eye was still visible as was the spiral-shaped eyebrow that was over it, he had short stubble of a beard on his chin, but it was hardly noticeable. He wore a black suit and a black tie and had a blue collared shirt on under the jacket. He looked a lot like a duck and was currently smoking a cigarette.

"I don't think we should touch someone's boat and take something from it. He could be a high profile person and he might call marines to investigate. We should steer clear of the marines since Luffy has a bounty." The long nosed man explained.

"It's okay Usopp, I will protect Nami!" the blond haired man shouted.

Luffy smiled pushing his straw-hat up. "You guys are so funny."

"We should focus on gaining supplies and the things needed for the Grand Line. If we can pick up some information along the way it will help us in the long way." Zoro muttered.

They saw another pirate ship reach shore as they came across the luxury boat. They saw people trying to take the boat. Only to see an explosion fly into the air as several men screamed in terror.

They were all trying to flee as another explosion of wind was heard.

"I think we should move to another side of the island…" Nami muttered.

"I will have to agree with you on that one." Usopp replied.

Sanji went to the helm to change course quickly.

"I want to meet this guy!" Luffy shouted.

Nami quickly hit him on the head to answer his question. "We will avoid bounty hunters and marines at all cost today. So we must all be on our best behavior even you Luffy." Nami scolded him.

…

Lightning sat down at his helm as he looked to several pirates were being removed by Marines. He sat down as he saw the five people with bounties were carted off with them. He looked at his newly acquired treasure chests'. He counted two very big ones treasure chests containing silver, gold, gems, and priceless vases. He had the time to check it while the marines came to pick them up for him. The commotion at the docks didn't go unnoticed at all.

He noticed a marine walking up to him. He was illusion to hide his boat and his facial appearances from them. "Sir, we tallied the bounty of the five members for you. We wrote a report and we will ask you to get this sign by Captain Smoker." He told him.

"Very well, but what is the total I gained on these five men." Lightning asked him.

He handed him a slip to him. "Between the five men, two of them have three million beri on their heads. Two of the men have 2 million beri on their head and the last one is one million."

"Thanks for coming here, taking them to all jail will be problematic." He told him.

The marine nodded as they marched them off to jail.

"I managed to pick up 11 million beri today and another 5 from the pirate ship. Then I have picked up two treasure chests filled with gems and jewels. I might as well stock this in my treasury. Then I still have to pick up the rest of my supplies." He muttered.

He got up from his seat as he looked at his list.

_Workshop and boat supplies check_

_Medical supplies_

_Restock chemicals_

_New master grade sword kit repair_

_Restock food to last a couple of months_

_Get more art supplies_

_Buy some luxury items for fun_

"Well, it seems like I have to get moving today. I may need to make a clone."

He focused on the sea as water came on the deck. A clone of him stood still here as it saluted.

"Take care of the boat, while I'm on a shopping spree. Make sure to melt the gold and silver down into bars if it's possible. Then assort the rest into piles and send them through the sterilization machine." Lightning told it.

"Yes sir." It replied. It dragged the two treasure chests with it inside. It locked the door behind him as the shutters came down. Lightning walked back to his cart to resume his shopping spree.

"I might as well drop off my sword at the sword shop and then get my bounty money from Captain Smoker."

…

Lightning was walking down the hill as he carried a huge cart filled with things. Two crates were stuffed in the very back. They both had a caution sign on them seeing they contained medical supplies and various chemicals. He had to run by the sword shop to buy his master grade kit to help maintain his sword. Letting Ippon-Matsu sharpened and clean his blade for free. He said it was honor to clean up a named blade despite its heavy weight.

He swung by several other shops picking up new fabrics and materials to fix his clothes. He had to buy more clothes for the trip like swimming trunks. He didn't get the chance to swing around the market yet or the hobby shop to buy supplies art supplies.

He checked his notes to see if his money was in order before shopping again. "I picked up that extra 11 million beri and it has come in handy."

He stopped in front of a hobby shop to look through the window. He noticed antiques', arts sets, and canvas strewn across the shop. As an old woman was sitting there enjoying tea. He looked back his cart and sighed.

"I can't watch my stuff properly and it might get stolen on this street." He muttered.

The old woman looked up at him. She waved him in as he shrugged. He made sure to leave it front of the shop. He walked into the shop with his backpack.

"Hello young man, welcome to my quaint hobby shop. My name is Alicia would you like some tea?" she asked him.

"Mrs. Alicia, I would like some Chai tea with a cinnamon base." Lightning asked her.

She laughed a bit as she turned to counter. "What an unusual order, but it's for people with acquired taste. Come on sit down…"

"You can call me Hikari." He sat down in a chair that had a canvas.

"It's quite unusual to see men walk through my shop nowadays. Most become pirates or marines to go out to the sea. Do you enjoy art?"

"Well it's quite relaxing to do at times. I do it to show people the sites of islands, people, and even my dreams. But I got into art due to my love for the science field. I designed and created my inventions like I envisioned it." Lightning explained to her.

"So you're a scientist? What type of clients do you usually get?" Alicia asked him.

"I mostly freelance and people send the good word to others. I worked for Kingdoms and nobles at times. But I try to steer away from the snobbish people or arrogant ones. I do some bounty work on the side to gain some extra money, but only when pirates come looking for a fight. I mostly send my inventions and idea through my mother's company. She owns a highly successive business on the Grand Line." Lightning explained.

She served Hikari a cup of Chai tea as he took sip. He nodded with satisfaction and a smile.

"So have you ever done art commissions' before or published scientific documentation?" Alicia asked him.

"I have done quite few commissions for friends and some kingdoms. That is what motivated me to love art even more. I even published books and scientific documentations' as well. The effects of smoking were one of my studies. Smoking can lead to an early death and it causes heart attacks, cancer, blood clots, and several other things." Lightning explained.

She smiled hearing that. "So you're the one who wrote that. It was about time someone realized it was bad for you. People smoke to look cool and relax their nerves. But the claims were dismissed until another scientist stepped in." Alicia told him. She walked back to her counter.

"His name would Dr. Vegapunk the world's smartest man. He defended my research claiming it was true. Cigarette and cigars now have a warning label on the packages when you buy them now." Lightning explained. "By the way I almost got sidetracked. I was planning to stock up on ink along with brushes, paint, some canvases, sketch pads-" he listed as she wrote it all down.

"That's quite a lot of things you want to buy. I have quite a lot of it in the back." Alicia explained.

They heard a doorbell ring as two people walked in. He noticed one was an orange haired girl with light brown eyes. She carried a bag filled with clothes no doubt. Another was a boy who had a long nose, black curly hair, and black eyes. The boy sat down a back pack that was stuffed with things outside. He wore a pair of North Blue model sniper goggles on his head.

"This shop is so cool!" the boy muttered.

"Hello and welcome to my shop, my name is Alicia. How may I help you two?" She asked them.

"Hello my name is Nami; I am looking to buy some materials so I can make some maps."

"My name is Usopp and I would like some paint for some recreation." He explained.

"Ah, I see. I will pull out some things in the back for you all. Why don't you all sit down and enjoy some tea I left out." She explained. She motioned to the tea on the counter.

"Thank you for the tea." The two told her.

"By the way, you left out art supplies and some canvas?" Usopp told her.

She chuckled to herself as she poured them tea. "I leave it out for customers to show off their skill as a painter. You are all welcome to try, why don't use Nami as a reference.

"I get to show you awesome art while we wait for her to get our supplies. I remember you like maps, oranges, and treasure." Usopp suggested.

Lightning picked up a pencil as he looked at the canvas. Nami sat down on a stool as Usopp in front of another canvas.

"Hello," Nami waved her hand. He nodded to her politely.

"Hello Nami and Usopp, you can call me Hikari." He introduced himself. He looked outside to see his cart and Usopp's backpack was ok. He turned back to sketching Nami, though he was going to deviate. "I heard you were a navigator, where do you plan to go?" Lightning asked her.

"I am one, and I plan to travel the Grand Line soon. Usopp is a part of my crew as well." Nami explained.

"So what is your goal then? Gain treasure or see the sights…" Lightning wondered.

"I want to map the whole world." Nami explained to them.

"I want to be a brave warrior of the sea." Usopp told him.

"Good goals, but I will give you a piece of advice. You need to learn how to fight and get strong really quick. People on the Grand Line are not forgiving in so many ways. The weather there is erratic only between islands and you have trust your Log Pose on direction you should go. Having the proper members like a doctor or a shipwright can really help out as well. The Grand Line has many diseases that can do in infamous pirates or you get wounds from some type of battle. Shipwright can help fix your ship when it's damaged. The ship you live in is our safe haven." Lightning explained.

Usopp and Nami listened for a moment. "Have you been to the Grand Line before?"

"I lived on an island in the Grand Line and I sailed there for several years." Lightning explained.

"What's a Log Pose?" Nami asked him.

He was busy painting something on the canvas now. "It's a special compass for the Grand Line. Regular compasses magnetic fields are distorted due to islands producing their own magnetic field. A Log Pose records the magnetic field of island to help guide you to the next." Lightning looked up to see fear on their faces.

"Are you telling us… if we sailed without we would die because we got lost." Nami wondered.

Alicia came out the back as she sorted out the order. "Were you two planning to sail the Grand Line without one. It would amount to suicide going there without one." Alicia informed the two.

Nami smiled at them. "By the way, where could we buy a Log Pose?" Nami asked them.

"The local navigation shop in town sells them I believe." Alicia told them. They both blew a sigh in relieve now.

"Thank goodness we know that before we left town…" Usopp muttered. He looked down to see his painting was done. "I'm done…" He turned his canvas around. It showed a cartoon Nami as she looked mad.

"I thought you have good art skills and yet it looks nothing like me!" she shouted.

Usopp gasped. "Art doesn't have to be realistic all the way. I do art for the enjoyment." He explained.

She turned to Lightning who turned his around. "I'm not satisfied with mine…" he muttered.

"Come on at least show yours?" Usopp asked him.

He turned his around to show his painting to her. It showed a shore that had a sunset in the distance. Nami was on the beach wearing a revealing green and white bikini halter top and bottom. Water glistened over her body and hair. She sat in a chair and by a table that had orange and map beside it. She smiled as looked a huge treasure chest filled with gold was beside her.

"How does it look?" Lightning asked them.

"You didn't even draw Nami sitting in the shop!" Usopp shouted.

"There is nothing wrong in altering a picture as long the reference is used properly."

Nami clasped her hands together in awe. "You really are a great artists, you only heard I like oranges, maps, and treasure." She told him.

He took a short bow as Usopp snorted. "I could easily do that…"

Lightning drank the rest of his tea. He soon finished cleaning up around him. He noticed Alicia had their stuff in huge plastic bags on the counter.

"Your orders are ready you three." She told them.

Lightning handed her the painting as she looked at it. "You have good detail and craftsmanship young man. You can keep the painting for free, I will frame it for you for free."

"I insist on paying then."

She laughed away as she went pulled a frame on it. "I always like to inspect other people's work. You can keep the painting for free along with yours…" Alicia told him.

Usopp put his on the counter and pushed it aside. "I can do a better job than that… Nami was not a good reference to my art style." Usopp gloated.

Nami glared at him. "Are you saying I'm ugly?" She muttered.

"Don't hurt me…" Usopp muttered.

"What he is trying to say… he works better using his own creativity." Lightning told her. Nami and Usopp paid for their orders. She placed all his stuff into his bag along with the painting. Lightning pulled out a wad of bills from on his vest pockets. He made sure to leave an extra 100, 000 beri on the counter. He picked up his bag of supplies as headed outside.

"Keep the change and thank you for the company." Lightning waved bye to her. Nami and Usopp smiled as they watched him put his stuff on the back of the cart.

"If this guy came from the Grand Line, wouldn't it be wise to talk to him again." Usopp asked Nami.

"Well it's better than flying dark on the Grand Line." Nami answered. The two walked outside to see the man was already down the street.

…

An hour later as Lightning dragged his cart; it was bursting to the brim with several things.

"My shopping is completely done and I can move out before the storm gets worse." Lightning muttered.

He pushed his cart on the ship as the clone came out of the cabin. He made ten more water clones to help move everything to their proper places. Lightning felt his boat shift as he turned around.

"I didn't think you would actually make a public appearance Mr. D. I thought I would meet you at your boat." Lightning told him. He noticed the man smirking behind his mask. Lightning pointed at him as mirage effect surrounded him.

"I was seeing the sights of what the town has to offer." Dragon told him.

"Really, I noticed your son has become a pirate now. You weren't concern for my arrival, but his." Lightning theorized.

He had a confident grin on his face. "It seems the name itself has linked me to him. I knew you would pick up on that as soon as you saw the bounty. He became a pirate and I have no problem with that. But let's focus on something important in the upcoming future." Dragon told him. Lightning sat down to see his demeanor change to a serious one.

"I'm guessing the photos and reports I gave your men were troubling. I hated seeing such a place, I almost felt like I should have liberated them myself. Hell no one should live or be born on Tequila Wolf like that. Getting a boat and things to help them locate will be troublesome part of this task. Taking out the guards and infiltrating will be the easiest part." Lightning explained.

"I have to agree on that, but I need to finish up in South Blue first. Then I will move on the bridge after I get the proper men to carry it out." Dragon informed him.

"While we are on that note, why have you diminished my role in the organization?"

Dragon looked him in the eyes seriously. "It was a personal choice I made. After you're near death experience, I asked the others what they think about you continuing in the army. Iva voted that you should live and follow your dream. I know you played a vital role and setting up information network and counter intelligence against the World Government. Kuma left it up to me on the matter. You wanted to change the world by creating technology that connects people. Celestial Island turned out to be a safe haven and a good place to resupply our army now."

"But I sense there is something more to this than it meets the eye. Seeing you want me as a contact that goes around the Grand Line for information." Lightning noticed.

"I need a favor from you…" Dragon asked him.

"Every time I do some favor I end up getting caught up in something bad. You do realize you basically let me go."

"I know, because you should not die without regrets. I am letting you go to after your dream since you want to change the world in your own way." Dragon explained. "But I want you to evaluate Luffy and his crew's performance. Train them according to their strength and dreams."

Lightning's eye twitched in response. "I am guessing that link between you will pop up one day. So you want to make sure he has the strength to fight the government one day. Reasonable, but how much training are we are talking about here. What happens he says no to such a thing?" He asked him.

"Then let him continue with his journey as he pleases. He is a man after all and he is old to take care of himself." Dragon explained.

"What about the others then?" Lightning asked him.

"Well its own your own time, but training one will always motivate the rest to get stronger."

"Well I am free to do whatever I please, but I'm guessing that chest on my deck is quite important." Lightning noticed.

Dragon looked over to it as he nodded. "The items inside the chest came from a Kingdom we knocked down. He didn't know what he carried around, but I knew what it was. It was about you and your strange powers." Dragon explained.

Lightning picked up the chest as placed it in his lap. He opened it to see a scroll on the inside along with a mirror. He unraveled the scroll to see ancient writings on it. He scanned over it with ease.

"_Hecate _

_Is a lost chapter in the Void Century, a woman who was blessed by God? She was given supernatural powers or god's power in some words. She had the power to combat skilled warriors and devil fruit users alike. The power to bend elements and create were bestowed her. Were the brush was as mighty as the sword. Where words meant power to her, writing and drawing symbols stopped people dead in their tracks. Hecate bended life and death to her advantage, she lived past her normal life span with ease or it was given by god. _

_The mirror she possessed deepened the mystery behind saying people who were dead appear in the mirror. Yet it worked as some type of amplifier. The mirror is unbreakable and it has a very reflective surface. The back of it contains a mirror contains a jade and emerald backing to it. It has several read writings going across it. Details about the origin and legend of the story are gone from history. Only the Divine instruments still remain today seeing they scattered across the world."_

"It sounds like a mystery to me…" Lightning picked up the mirror. It was a covered most of his torso. He looked at the back of the mirror to see it had a mixture of jade and Emerald on the back of it. He lifted it up to look at it; he saw his face looked weird. It flashed weirdly as he it felt levitated in front of them. "Know this is getting freaky…"

"It seems the connection between your powers is established. There other scrolls inside the chest along with other artifacts'. I have some other business to attend to." He told him. He looked up at the sky. "I will be leaving for now Hikari, but please refer any information to me that the World Government wants to cover up."

"I will pass it along for you and give you the chance to spread the truth. See you Mr. D."

Dragon disappeared in a blur as Lightning put the scroll inside. He noticed the mirror turned into light as it slammed into his arm. As a red seal appeared there as he shrugged it off. He saw a clone carry it inside. The clones jumped back into the sea dissipated after fulfilling their jobs.

Lightning looked up back into the city. He put a lower face mask to cover his face. He took off his jacket to invert it to a black color. He zipped it up as he jumped to a roof top.

"I might as well see what this kid Luffy is all about. I might as well track him down before the storm roles into town." Lightning muttered.

He quickly jumped off heading towards the middle of the town.


	3. Chapter 3

**Hello everyone it's me again! I'm sorry if I haven't updated lately, but I had a bit of writers block. I decided to include a bit of the filler since the enemy encountered during the filler never destroyed the time line and Luffy's development with his crew. I decided to break this chapter in two and build up some type introduction with the crew. Though I want to gradually pull him into the story unlike the majority of OC's and inserts being instant friends with him. The animal he represents will be a wolf. The battles he always faced were alone and he hardly made any real friends. Looking it up what symbolizes the wolf. It represents mystery, teacher, or a pathfinder. Others would say power, strength, courage, and cunningness. It's also painted along with supernatural things in art. I decided to do some homework on some SBS Oda produces for one piece. I plan he won't join so easily just because Luffy's tries to persuade him by his usual tactics. Where do you think he should **_**actually **_**join them? I was thinking the Grand Line … enough of my ranting. On with the story and please leave a review on your thoughts. It will defiantly speed things up! **

…

**Chapter 2**

**The Strongest in the East**

**...**

As Lightning bounced from the rooftops as he overlooked the docks to see a pirate boat in the distance. He saw it the ship with sheep figure head in the distance. He looked over to see the ship was smaller than his at least half the size of his boat.

"_Guessing from the wanted picture that Usopp is a part of Luffy's crew. Any trained eye can see the back of his head. Plus the Straw-hat Jolly Roger waving in the wind gives is away. Looking for Luffy will be tedious at best. I hope Nami bought a Log Pose otherwise they will have a short experience on the Grand Line." _Lightning thought.

He pulled out a robotic bug that looked like a mosquito. He pressed a small button on the top of the head letting them go. "To study a 'Devil fruit ability one must see the devil fruit in action or take blood from a devil fruit user. The devil fruit alters the blood stream of the individual. It gives off faint traces of the devil fruit and once separated. I can mimic or copy the ability on a minor scale. Luckily I can send this little guy out to extract only three devil fruit users. I will meet Luffy in person; I don't need to extract his blood." Lightning muttered.

He watched insect robot fly into the air despite the looming black clouds from the east. He jumped down and walked over to the ship. He inspected the boat by sight before boarding it.

"_Caravel class ship, it looks like a luxury ship for some rich person. It has a couple of years already on the boat." _

He jumped on the railing as he looked around for a moment.

"_It has a sheep figure despite it looking like a ram almost. It has a jib and a central steer rudder. The ship has four cannons, one in the bow pointing forward, one in the stern, and two pointing to either side. Three orange trees sit on top of the ship serving as décor and it most likely provides the crew with vitamin C."_

He jumped on the deck as he proceeded to walk upstairs towards the helm of the ship. He walked casually inside the room as he noticed more than the helm. It held the kitchen as well a lounge area for the crew. He looked around for a moment to see a steering pole having the ship's figurehead attached to it.

He quickly left out the door as he jumped over the rail. He landed near the mast to see a trap door on the right side. He opened it and descended down below the ship. It was a large and untidy room, but it was not doubt the men's room. There were five hammocks connected to the ceiling. Chest, table, laundry basket, and a laundry set. He sat an emergency hatch to another room. He quickly walked over to unlatch the door. He noticed the door was locked from the other side. He shrugged making his way back up towards the deck.

He quickly saw the storage the other door under the galley. He walked over to it he noticed two water drawing machines under the two stair cases. He opened the door to see it was a storage room. It stored nine barrels filled with some type of liquid. It also had a treasure chest, food cabinet, cannon, and another cover with a latch leading downstairs to the girls' room. He made his way all the way towards the open door with the bathroom.

It was a normal standard bathroom, but the room looked like it built up moisture. He ran his hands across the tiles of the room.

"_Pretty standard ship built for a rich girl, but the ship is built for travel, not for fighting. It was most likely a poor choice or some type of gift to them. If I had to guess Luffy is the type of person who runs around and relies heavily on luck to get things done. The women's room is no doubt better than men's quarters. The ship bathroom collects moisture from the shower meaning it can distort the ship's integrity. I see space will be issue in the future too seeing they don't have a doctor and shipwright._

_They have no dedicated med-bay for wounded people. Nor do they have the space to store the doctor's medical supplies in the future. The shipwright needs to store and tools somewhere on the boat and yet I see no space for one as well. The crew might want extra luxury items or personal space for their own as well. Though I haven't checked out the anchor room yet, I will suggest to them a bigger ship might be necessary." _Lightning thought.

He walked back out to the deck to check the last room on the ship that was available, He noticed someone walking up to the boat on an animal. He walked over to the edge of the ship.

He saw a man wearing a pink helmet with bunny ears sticking out. He was wearing a white fur shirt, yellow sash, blue pants, and white shoes. He rode a lion that had green fur and a purple mane. Part of the man was made to look like a bike handles.

"The guy with Richie bike is so cool! Who is that man? It's me, Mohji!" sang Mohji as he rode his massive lion Richie towards the harbor and stopped in front of the Going Merry. "So this is Straw Hat's ship, huh? It's bigger than the last one. Now he must be executed by Captain Buggy."

"There is no way that rubber man can escape! But we'd better burn this ship as a backup plan. This is our job."

"Good idea, that way the marine captain will end capturing them in the end." Lightning added. He sat on the rail watching him light the match.

"That's the idea…!" Mohji shouted. He looked up in fear to see the cloaked man. "They actually had a look out man on their ship!"

Lightning saw the wind blow out his match. "I suggest you turn around before you get hurt. Nami, the cute navigator is sailing this boat after all. Besides that I'm not part of their crew, I'm just an acquaintance." He informed him.

Lightning jumped down to meet the two. Mohji jumped off his lion and smiled. "Get him Richie!"

The lion growled as Lightning reared back with his fist. He slammed into the lion's ear. The lion was knocked off balance. He reached over grabbing the mane of the lion. He spun throwing the lion into Mohji. The pair smashed into the wall unconscious as Lightning shook his head.

"What a bunch of fools? People think they can just terrorize nowadays without doing some proper training." Lightning muttered. He saw lightning crackled through the sky. Downpour suddenly followed as he shrugged. He soon saw his robotic bug coming back. He caught it to see a small three vials of blood along its body. "It looks like the captain is weighing them down and preventing them from leaving town easily."

He saw the sea was raging hard as he shrugged. "Well meeting them at the boat seems like a lost cause. If I don't leave now, my boat will be smashed by stone walls." He muttered.

He vanished in a blur as two people were struggling to carry some things to their boat.

Usopp made it to the scene carrying a huge fish and his backpack. Nami carried her huge bag filled with clothes. They looked around to see if it was clear. Nami soon noticed the lion and Mohji unconscious against the wall.

"What is Mohji doing here unconscious!" Nami shouted.

"Nami, we have no time to mess around. We have to make sure the boat is ready to leave!" Usopp shouted at her.

The two rushed to get onboard the ship carrying their things. Nami rushed to the storage room to access her room. Usopp quickly dropped his backpack down the hatch. He noticed a figure jumping on building roofs wearing a black coat.

"Who the heck is that?" he muttered.

He saw the person move out of sight as the wind picked up again.

…

Lightning finally made it to his boat as he noticed it was rocking hard against the sea. Water spilled on the deck. He slid across his deck as he pushed forward. He reached his helm which was covered by a roof thankfully.

"Computer, pull anchor and open full sail!" He shouted. The vessel sail open with a flick of mechanical devices moved within it. The anchor came up and retracted back into the boat. He turned the helm wheel forcefully pulling it away from the shore. He quickly saw another pirate ship and merchant boats slam forcefully against the docks. They were all wrecked and damaged.

"Well it's lucky I am pulling out to sea now. The wind itself would have destroyed my boat. I wasn't able to make contact with Luffy at all. What a shame and it looked like he was going to be executed too." Lightning muttered.

He finally went out to sea as he saw the lighthouse shining in the distance. He turned back to see a group of people running towards the boat. He pulled out a pair of telescope to see three people running.

He saw Luffy was running with a smile. He quickly saw the green haired swordsman carrying three swords. Another was a blonde haired man who wore black suit finally got onboard the ship.

"_So they made it after all, they must have the devil's luck then. So Luffy has the Roronoa Zoro the three sword user on his crew. Along with Sanji the best cook on the East Blue. So he is at least trying to pick up the smartest and the best minds across his crew." _Lightning thought.

He moved his telescope over to a building to see Dragon standing on a roof. He smiled giving a small wave before disappearing into the storm. Lightning couldn't help but laugh a bit.

"It seems like you had a hand in Luffy's escape from Loguetown eh, Dragon." Lightning muttered.

He turned back to look around if his course was south towards the Grand Line and Calm belt.

"_Hikari the dream you speak is a worthy dream, but handing it to an Era, government, and people who do wrong would corrupt your dream. You would hurt the world more than you are helping it." Dragon explained to him._

"_What happens if you are the evil one as well?" Lightning asked him._

_Dragon smirked as he nodded. "Now you are learning Hikari, it is a matter of perspective where people stand at. I want to change this world of its corrupt rule of the World Government. You already seen one of the many crimes the World Government and some pirates have done. Follow your dream, but first look at every side of the problem before making your choice."_

The words echoed in his mind as he sailed forth.

"My dream could have been corrupted by the World Government since they are in power. I can only trust certain individuals to not abuse the work I created for evil purposes. I was looked at all the sides and I saw one was clearly the greater evil. My family always warned us why the World Government shouldn't be trusted and never to ally with them." Lightning muttered.

…

Lightning sat upon his boat as he overlooked sea, he was still here as he sailed around the sea. He was heading towards the Grand Line. He was sitting casually down at his helm. He sat back reading an old newspaper to pass the time.

"_It's been three days since I just left Loguetown and I got a causal letter from unknown person. It went through one of my contacts on the sea and it appeared to me a very dangerous mission. I decided to take a try it since I had nothing to do with it. Apparently the contractor wants me to meet with him soon about something very important. The details were never given along with the pay the job specified. As long if it's not illegal I'm up for the challenge or the goal is noble. I decided to send a reply back to see who my mysterious client is." _Lightning thought.

"_On another note, I haven't met the Straw-hat crew in a while. It seems like they are behind me or they are in a different part of the ocean…" _

"We are really flying!" someone shouted. Lightning looked over head to see a boat flying across his. He looked closely to see a Straw-hat Jolly Roger on a flag and sail.

"Well it seems they are having fun…" Lightning muttered.

He made sure his mask and hood were up. He noticed they had a smile on their face. He saw a little girl standing there on the deck with a smile as well. She wore a long mustard yellow dress. The sleeves and the bottom of the dress are maroon with mustard colored circles. She has a dark maroon sash, and has the same colored undershirt. She has brown eyes, and blonde hair with fair skin. She also has a pointy white hat.

Luffy looked over to see his ship. His eyes sparkled and smiled. "It's that cool looking ship!" he shouted.

The crew turned towards the boat in the distance. "Hey isn't this guy supposed to be a bounty hunter?" Zoro muttered. "I heard he came from the Grand Line with ease."

"I always wondered what type of person he is." Luffy giggled.

The little girl looked at Luffy a bit confused. "Why are you so interested in this person?" she asked him.

"Apis, Luffy is so excited about the Grand Line or the stories one might tell about it." Sanji explained.

"Well we best prepare for a fight if he is not obliged to talk to us peacefully." Zoro stated.

"Hey, you on the other boat can you we talk to you about something!" Luffy shouted.

Lightning's boat pulled up to the Straw-hats boat as he had his arms crossed. "I don't see ships' flying out of the Calm Belt every day. They usually get stranded and die due to the Sea Kings killing them." Lightning explained.

Usopp pointed proudly at himself. "It was nothing, but a small feat to the great Captain Usopp." Usopp bragged.

"I know you're not the captain of the boat due to the Jolly Roger symbol posted on the sail and flag. Besides that I'm guessing you got lucky break to get out of the Calm Belt." Lightning explained.

Usopp dropped his head. "He saw through that lie with ease…" he muttered.

"Anyone smart enough can see you're not the captain. Besides that straw-hat Jolly Roger is posted on this boat." Sanji reminded him.

Zoro had his hand on the sword as Luffy laughed. "Hey what is your name?" Luffy asked him.

"My name it's usually people have to give their names first before someone else answer." Lightning explained to him.

Luffy smiled. "I'm Monkey D. Luffy and the captain of this ship. I am going to become the King of the Pirates."

"Luffy you shouldn't give your name so easily to a potential bounty hunter." Zoro scolded him.

He turned around to Zoro a bit confused. He looked back at Hikari. "Are you a bounty hunter?" Luffy asked him.

"Part time, I mainly catch idiots'' that hurt people, destroy towns, or try messing with me." Lightning told him.

"Are you going to catch me?" Luffy asked him.

"Why would I try catching a person I don't have problems with?" Lightning explained to them.

"See he is a good guy." Luffy smiled as the crew shook his head.

"Well since he introduced himself…"

"Well I already met you Nami and Usopp back at the Hobby shop in Loguetown." Lightning explained.

"Wait, you mean to tell me your that guy at the shop, how did you know we were part of a pirate crew?" Usopp asked him.

"If you smart enough you can easily see the wanted poster and see the back of your head." He explained.

"You mean someone actually recognized Usopp!" Sanji shouted in disbelief.

Usopp felt a bit better about himself. "I told you guys someone recognized me."

"Usopp, that's not a good thing!" Nami shouted at him

"If you know that much, I must know me and the cook over here." Zoro asked him.

"Sanji is the former assistant chef of the Baratie. And you are Roronoa Zoro, the Pirate Hunter. His description was in a newspaper days ago. Zoro's was provided be me by Johnny and Yosaku way before that. I had to help these two out because they were about to overwhelm by a pirate crew. Yosaku was not eating fruit with Vitamin C prevent him from getting scurvy." Lightning explained.

Zoro, Usopp, and Nami shook their heads. "Even before we met them, someone told them about scurvy…" Nami muttered.

"It seems everything he knows is by the news or meeting people we know." Usopp mentioned.

"This is why he top class bounty hunter Usopp. He gets his information first before going on the attack." Zoro muttered.

"Hey tell us stories of your adventures'?" Luffy asked him.

"I don't think none of them are appropriate for a little girl and most of them are people who end up dying in the end." Lightning explained.

"Not just about the battles, but about the sea as well." Luffy demanded.

"No," he replied.

"Why not," Luffy asked him.

"Why spoil it for the people who haven't seen the Grand Line yet for themselves. It will spoil the future of you telling stories." He explained.

"Ok, that makes sense." Luffy explained.

"So you came from the Grand Line after all?" Sanji wondered. "Did you come from the Four Blues?"

"No, I was born on the Grand Line and I sailed out from there. By the way who is the little girl?"

"I'm not some little girl! My name is Apis." She stated.

"Technically you are still little and young." Usopp clarified.

She blushed in embarrassment as she pushed her head to the side. "Well I am still growing …" she muttered.

"Well what is she doing on your ship? The Grand Line is dangerous enough and watching over kids of all is tough enough. That is your intended goal right."

"Nope, we are to Gunkan Island to drop her off home."

"Are you guys acting like Marines?" Lightning asked him.

Luffy looked shocked by such a thing. "We are not Marines!" he shouted.

"Are you a bandit at least?" Lightning chuckled.

Luffy looked in more flustered. "No way Pirates are better than bandits! Don't call us that again!"

"I sense lots of hostility towards the two; I wonder who gave you this romantic view on piracy." Lightning chuckled. "It seems you're too good natured to even be classified with regular pirates. Peace Main would be appropriate to describe you, but someone here would like to amass a fortune." Lightning muttered.

Zoro took flipped his sword back in his hilt though still it's on the sword. "Why are you wearing a mask and hood? Are you assassin?" Zoro asked him.

"I wear these types of clothes for many reasons. One to not let people identify in the future so I can approach people safely and I can't be tracked down. Another thing is the fact the Grand Line produces erratic weather and diseases during your travel. Since I travel alone I need to not be sick otherwise would navigate the boat properly. Another thing about my mask is the fact it filters poison gases, smoke, and chemicals as well. The coat and hood help protect my body from hazardous chemicals." Lightning explained.

"So you are a scientist then." Nami stated.

Lightning nodded his head. "Yes, I am scientist and I work for several people. I work for Kingdom's, nobles, and people passing by if they have the money and time. I usually get paid after everything is said and done. That way no one feels like they have been cheated by me. I run a fair business practice." Lightning explained. "It takes time to get the money at times. I am usually hired to take on missions for money. Bounty hunting is usually served when I don't like my obnoxious clients or the flows of jobs are too long between them.

Nami clasped her hands as Beli signs popped up. "So you are rich after all!" she shouted in joy.

"Nami has those money signs again in her eyes." Usopp muttered.

"I usually send all half of my money home that the big jobs bring. I also donate to my friend's causes or use it for my research." Lightning told them.

"You donate your money!" Nami shouted in shock.

"Of course," Lightning explained.

"If you feel like you are in a donating mood can I have money?" she asked him.

"For good causes only and besides that you're the only one here is greedy for money." He noticed.

Luffy and Zoro laughed a bit. "He knows what type of person Nami is?" Luffy laughed.

"Well at he won't be swindled." Zoro chuckled.

She glared at them and pouted. Luffy turned to him with a smile. "Can we see a mecha?" Luffy asked him.

"No, and some of the stuff I create is not for fun." Lightning stated.

"You can't be a scientist without creating a mecha." Luffy stated.

"No, and I don't have time to show off anything I have to you." He explained. He looked up towards the east.

"_I feel there is a storm to the east, yet it's a clear day. We are nowhere near the Grand Line." _Lightning thought.

"I plan on going east to study some unusual weather patterns that Reverse Mountain may produce." He explained. He walked back towards his helm. "So if we meet again here on the sea or you live long on the Grand Line. I might actually show you something worthwhile."

He sailed off into the east as Luffy pouted. "I really want to see a mecha."

"We should focus on taking Apis back home Luffy." Nami reminded him.

Luffy nodded. "Set sail to Gunkan Island!" he shouted.

…

Lightning sailed east as he saw Luffy's ship sailing towards the nearby island shaped. Villages unlike were preparing their weapons for attack. The meeting between them was diffused by the little girl Apis. He quickly noticed a marine ship in the distance spying on them. He quickly pulled his binoculars down. He quickly walked inside to his living room and up to a device. It looked like mechanical den-den mushi. It was tied to some phone like device and some type of printer.

He pressed the button to record and listen to the outgoing single.

"_We spotted the girl from Gunkan Island; she is still alive from the Clam Belt somehow. It seems the pirates are returning her home to her people. So the hope of finding of Dragon bones still lives on Commodore Nelson Royale. We will wait for backup to see the pirates, boat, and little girl again." _

Lightning frowned as he shook his head. "Marines are quite overzealous these days some believing in genocide or wiping out pirate blood completely. Now the 8th division of the marines wants to kidnap little girls for some dragon bones. Believing in such a legend where dragon bones, when extracted make an elixir, it can grant eternal life. In actuality the people grind up the bones into a tea pot to heal ailments and prolong life from the normal 35-40 years old."

Lightning looked back to see outside as he turned the device off. He saw a weird smoke on the ocean as he felt a weird sensation come from his arm. It glows letting out the mirror dragon gave him. It swirled around his body as it attached to his back. He felt his body tremble as he saw faint blue lines traverse his arms. The glow died down as he turned his head back to the ocean. He pushed the thought of his head. He headed towards the helm to see the smoke collided with the boat. The air shimmered for a moment as he quickly sat at the helm.

He looked a bit shocked as he saw a reflection of himself and his boat.

"Is this a…" Lightning muttered. His boat passed through the smoke. He quickly noticed the fog hitting the area around him. He felt the waters were a bit choppy now. He kept his hands on the wheel. "Mirage, it seems like that Reverse Mountain does produce weird weather around certain areas of the sea. It even blows in some weird weather towards nearby towns like Loguetown. The mixture of the cold water must run off here and the warm sea water in East Blue." He theorized.

The fog blew away as he heard about thunder in the distance. Rain poured down heavily upon the boat as the waves became erratic. He pressed a button and pulled back on a lever. The sails pulled up as they fasten tight to the metal sail. He spun the wheel rapidly trying to handle the big waves.

"This defiantly weather like the Grand Line!" Lightning shouted.

He looked up ahead to see light in the middle of the storm. He quickly saw an island sitting there calmly.

Twenty minutes passed as he sat down calmly as he took a notebook. His boat was sailing into normal waters.

"_It seems the Grand Line weather does affect the four blue seas. The island in question looks to be deserted by first glance."_

Lightning finished his entry into scientific journal. He took some pictures of the sky. He noticed his boat was near. He took a snapshot of the island to see ruins. He saw a rock statue shaped as dragon statue. He pulled a lever to help drop the anchor as he looked around the island.

"It seems humans lived here a long time ago… it seemed they worshipped dragons. It seems like my accidental discovery of the island and the event leading with Apis. I must take care of wandering around here. These ruins are one of a kind after all. I need to record, photograph and scavenge for artifacts around the island." He muttered.

He raised his hand up as water fell onto the land as the formed human shapes. Ten clones of him stood in front of the boat. He tossed the camera to one of them. It caught as he walked up to the edge of the boat. He tossed a notebook and paper to one as well. "All right, I want to take this slow. Record and photograph everything in this town overtaken by the jungle. Then we will finish with the top building tomorrow. Let me get my kit before we roll out." He explained to them.

He saw the eerie mirror was still there as he walked back inside the ship.

"_My descendant, the unexplainable powers you gained was because of god…" _He stopped in his tracks hearing a voice echo. _"You thought your power was a curse and a blessing at the same time. The power to control the heavens was out of your control when you were young and even now you can't control it. This mirror will reflect the sun and curve the storms. The power to absorb light and create fire at will. Though heed my words, the more you delve into these powers the more affects your body."_

He turned to face the mirror only to stop to see a ghostly image of a beautiful woman watching over him. She had a smile on her face as he noticed her fading away.

"_Retrain yourself and reignite your passion and your dream. Only then you realize you have so much more. The power bestowed to you didn't diminish, it was merely meant to distribute and balance you." _

"Hey original, are you okay?" One clone asked him.

Lightning nodded his head. "I may need some time to rest and look up some things in the scrolls Dragon gave me. I hope you all record the ruins properly okay, I will try to get some rest." He told them walking in.

"_Was that some spirit talking to me… what's going and why is the purpose of the mirror? What am I and why do I have these powers? The more I try to learn I fill like I am lead astray." _Lightning thought. He heard a giggling sound in the back of his head.

"_Don't worry Lightning, you will understand one day." The same voice told him._

He walked inside the boat shaking his head. He wanted to get some sleeping pills and for temporary hallucinations.


	4. Chapter 4

**Hello it's me again and sorry for the wait. I was trying to proofread the chapter and I had a bit of help doing so. I am sorry for the delay of the new chapter, but I was trying to deviant from the normal cannon most people get into. But I would like to hear your thoughts on what the next chapter should be. I don't want to keep the story bland and too predictable seeing he is more capable than Straw-hat crew at this point. I'm sorry that I am complaining, but on with the story. I hope you read, enjoy, and review. I'm out!**

…

**Chapter 3**

**Lost Island**

…

Lightning sat at the table making notes on the artifacts laid out before him. He sat in a special study room inside the boat that had art on the walls and sketches of prototypes on the desk. He looked at several spinning green tops having a dragon on the top of them. A few marbles made of stone and clay were on the desk. He pushed them aside in a box carefully for storage. He looked over to important items he found. He looked at a several dragon statues of value. A bronze, gold, sapphire, and a jade dragon stood on his desk. They were all carved beautifully as he had a small a treasure chest of gold sat in the corner.

He had several photographs on the table as well of the ruins of the town. It took him some to place his artifacts' up along with some scientific notes. He got up from his table to grab his coat. He hastily put the jacket over his back. The floating mirror followed him.

He walked outside to see it was a bright day despite the storm circle around the island.

He stretched and yawned.

"_The only thing to do is to study the temple before I go._

_I had the clones study the ruins carefully yesterday going. During the search it seems that they revered dragons as gods. They printed dragons over the surface of many things. The statues inside several homes with shrines around them shows clear proof that they apparently were worshipping them from afar. The ruins here are more than millennium years old and it seems the ancestors of the people of Gunkan Island lived here a long time ago. I may value science as one of my pursuits, but anything containing such knowledge should be protected. Humans have always gone to war, have a period of peace, and always will have a revolution. Ruins and artifacts alike cannot be replaced and my family has revered them greatly._

_The name of the island was Dragon Roost Island from what the tablet told me. "_

Lightning jumped off his boat as he made his way up the hill.

"We are here at lost island!" a voice shouted as he turned to Luffy's crew and Apis hit the shore.

"Look it's that weird scientist guy is here as well. How did he know how to find Lost Island?" Usopp asked them.

Apis looked over to the dragon behind her on a cart. "Maybe he was after the Dragon bones! We can't let him take Ryuji." Apis worriedly told them.

"Don't worry Apis-chan; we can easily kick this nerds butt." Sanji reassured her.

"Didn't he say that there was a storm to the East of Gunkan Island? We just passed through one…" Zoro muttered.

"That's right, but how did he know it was here?" Nami asked them.

"We may have to shake some questions out of him when we see him. But I noticed it's been a while since anyone has lived here. Looks like the jungle took over a long time ago." Sanji noted.

Usopp looked up the road to see a white coat. He pulled down his sniper goggles to look at the person. "Hey it seems like this guy is already going up the hill." Usopp explained to them. "We need some answers from this guy and if he doesn't answer. We need to force him to talk to us on why he is here." Nami told them.

"When you mean by us? You are going to just make Luffy, Sanji, and me fight him?" Zoro muttered.

"For all we know he could mostly have a devil fruit ability or strength like a monster. Besides that some of us have to sit back and watch the dragon." Nami reasoned.

"Maybe I should ask Ryuji if this is lost island." Apis wondered. She turned back to the dragon to speak to him.

…

A flash of a camera went off as Lightning checked his camera. He was finally done photographing the temple all around. He was positioned in front of the door now

"_It seems this is the main temple that worshipped the Dragon's who once flew around here. The island is too small for such a population. Enough with the guessing game I will find more answers inside the temple." _Lightning thought.

He walked up to the doors as he pushed it slowly open. He saw it was a spiral stairs leading to the right. He walked in pulling the doors back to close. He looked up at the ceiling to take pictures of it. He checked the camera to see his lighting was good. He descended down the stairs as he looked around taking photos. He finally made it to the bottom of the floor to see numerous branches had tunneled through the ruins.

"It seems like the shrine entrance has some weak support… if some idiot brought something to heavy they would fall instantly through the floor." Lightning muttered.

He felt a rumble as rocks as the fell as he heard several screams. He easily jumped back to avoid a huge cart falling with Luffy's crew. It plummeted down towards the ground.

***BOOM***

Lightning covered his eyes as the smoke flew up. It quickly died down as he saw the crew was in shock.

"I guess you wanted to drop in and say hey. But who is the idiot to think to bring a dragon on top of unstable ruins?" Lightning asked them.

Apis blushed for a moment as she turned to see him. "It's that mask weirdo!"

"It is Hikari to you. I see you dropped in with a dragon now, but you idiots are destroying the ruins." Lightning scolded them.

"It was not our idea, but whose idea was it to use a key up there?" Sanji asked them.

"Doors a thousand years ago or more were mostly push doors. They usually had wooden bars to keep them from opening." Lightning explained.

Apis blushed in embarrassment as Luffy handed her a small claw. "Here you go."

She took it gratefully as Luffy smiled.

"Well it doesn't matter we're inside now." Sanji told them.

Apis gave thumbs up. "Results alright!"

"Not quite seeing you that you can't pull a dragon up the stairs, considering the fact you could have brought down the whole room if you destroyed some more of the roots holding up the ruins." Lightning explained.

"What is this place? What are you doing here?" Zoro asked him.

"Studying and recording the ruins until you all fell down here. This place was mostly used to worship dragons as gods." Lightning explained. He made sure he had some earlier shots of the room were okay.

"You were studying the ruins?" Nami asked him.

"I may be a man of science, but these ruins are one of kind. Lost to the world and I will ask you to refrain from damaging them any further." Lightning explained to them.

Luffy looked up at the ceiling. "And what do you think that is?" Luffy asked them.

Lightning looked up at the now broken ceiling. "That is a Mural or a painting on the wall. People long ago told stories by using pictures to tell it to them." Lightning explained.

As every stood up to look at it. Nami looked down at Lightning. "Hikari, how did you know how to find this place?" Nami asked them.

"Well I can instinctually feel when storms come from Nami. I noticed the sky the other day was calm yet there was no visible storm." He explained.

"You can sense a storm? How is that possible? Did you eat a devil fruit?" Nami asked him.

"No, it's something I always felt even as a kid. But what brings you all here?" Lightning asked them. He bent down to Apis level checking for any injuries. "It seems you all fell down without any noticeable injuries. I am guessing Apis ate a devil fruit that communicates with animals. What color is the fruit you ate?"

"I ate the Hiso-Hiso no mi (Whisper). It allows me to communicate with animals telepathically." Apis explained. She gave the details of her devil fruit to him. He wrote it down in his book. He secretly took some blood.

"We are here to find the Dragon's nest to help Ryuji." Luffy explained.

"To heal a dragon… may I see him and take some samples to study?" Lightning asked them.

Apis was a bit worried. She looked at Ryuji. "You are okay with him touching you?" Apis asked him. The dragon blinked as he closed his eyes. "Well its okay, but don't hurt him."

Lightning pulled his camera down after taking a picture. He walked up taking some samples from the dragon. The dragon just slept through the ordeal untouched. He easily put the samples in his backpack.

"What a huge house! What is that picture of?" Luffy shouted. Lightning walked up to them.

"It's a temple built for worship, not a house Luffy." Lightning informed him.

"It looks like some kind of map." Usopp noticed.

"Yeah, but you can't tell what is says since its crumbling. Is this supposed to be the dragon's nest?" Sanji told Usopp.

Nami looked up at the ceiling. "Humans and dragons cannot co-exist together. Dragons prefer to live in caves that offer natural protection. This place is only meant for humans. Who told you such a silly thing?" Lightning asked them.

"Can you read it?" Nami asked them.

"I can despite its crumbling state…" Lightning told Nami. He walked up to broken section of the ceiling. It had a picture of Sennenryu on it. He looked up at the entrance. "Before that can I ask you all a question?"

"What is it?" Zoro asked him.

"Did someone follow you here?" Lightning asked them.

"No, but we had some marines following us before we hit the mirage." Nami told him.

"Why did you ask? Aren't you going to decipher it for us?" Sanji asked him.

"Fine…" Lighting looked up at the ceiling. "This mural depicts the arrival of dragons. People once lived here in this very same building we are in. Do you see the building with the dome shape?" Lighting told them.

"It certainly looks that way." Sanji muttered crossing his arms.

"The people surrounded the island are most likely the ancestors of Apis and the people of Gunkan island. Indicating the pointy hats they wore is still a tradition to their people. They lived here long time ago." He pointed out.

"Our ancestors…" Apis muttered.

"That means Grandpa Bokuden's story is true after all. They did come from another island." Nami muttered.

"It looks we have a low chance of finding the Dragon's nest here." Usopp told them.

"So where is the real one?" Apis asked them.

"Maybe the island with a dragon drawn on it," Zoro mused.

"Correct, the real island you are looking for is Gunkan Island. Even the picture clearly outlines the islands shape if you noticed it from afar." Lightning pointed out.

"So the dragon's nest would have to be located on Gunkan Island." Nami muttered.

"Wait you said that dragon's nest would not be on Gunkan Island!" Usopp shouted.

"I'm guessing your island has sunk into the sea a thousand years ago." Lightning theorized.

"That would explain why no one would be able to find it before." Nami reasoned. Apis ran up to the dragon.

"Apis," Usopp asked her.

"Ryuji, please remember Ryuji! Where's the dragon's nest? We thought we found it, but nothing is here!" Apis pleaded trying to get the dragon to remember. Lightning walked over to a broken tablet. He lifted up a tablet having a date on it.

"_This tablet dates back a thousand years ago…" _Lightning thought. He read on with interest as the Ryuji remembered something.

"To the east of the summit, in a place that looks like a battleship, that's where lost island is." Apis explained to them.

"It seems accurate, but a whole flock of dragons will fly around the island in a certain number of years it seems." Lightning muttered.

"You can really read this stuff?" Usopp asked him.

"Of course, I can recall things I am not interested in at times. I am in pursuit of knowledge and even things not related to science can be important. Trial and failure are the most common things a scientist sees in his life. It's very rare to see success on the first try. We rely on others who already paved the way to go a different direction. To make machines that improved the daily life you learn the answers that plagued their past. Even ancient diseases can change and become something different over time." Lightning explained.

Luffy turned his head. "What did he say?" He asked them.

"He saying history plays important part in everything idiot." Sanji muttered.

"I'm sorry I called you weirdo, you even helped us out greatly." Apis apologized.

"Well you worried I was after your dragon friend. Well it's easy to panic seeing I was already here. But my job and responsibility requires me to teach others what I learned. I managed to pick up learning history from some books in West Blue on an island. I only dabble in enough just to get around." Lightning explained.

"Is he some type of scholar?" Usopp asked him.

"Well sort of, but I never actually taught people the things I learned." Lightning told them. He easily placed the tablet back down on the stone table.

"By the way what year is it not until it rises from the sea?" Sanji asked Lightning.

"It doesn't say that, so I have no clue about that." Lightning told them.

"Alright, all we need is to go back!" Luffy shouted.

Birds flew off into the distance. Zoro flicked his sword out of the sheath. Lightning looked up at the ceiling above them.

"Is something wrong Zoro?" Nami asked them.

"Someone's here." He answered Nami.

"What?" Usopp asked him. Luffy and Usopp ran towards the broken ceiling of the room.

"He's up there." Zoro told them.

Lightning looked up along with them. He noticed a man standing at the top smiling. He was a slender man with a square-like face, long sharp fingernails and purple hair, curled upwards in the shape like a hook. He wore a grey blazer and pants with red-colored sides, and a purple striped shirt underneath. On his chest, he wore something that looks like a golden brooch shaped like a bird-wing. He also wore a pair of earrings with pearls hanging underneath them.

"Many thanks for the explanation Mr. Scholar. For now I know where the dragon's nest is." He explained.

"Oh it's _you _again," Luffy shouted.

"But it would be a waste if it's under the sea. So I will have to take this Sennenryu with me.

"No way, we don't even know if the Dragon's nest is under the ocean yet!" Apis shouted.

"He said something about having the ability of Kama-Kama no mi." Sanji muttered.

"Man why do we have to deal with a weirdo guy like him?" Usopp complained. Lightning walked up to them.

"Well it seems like you all have a problem here. You can all leave here, I got this by myself." Lightning explained to them.

"What? You're not even carrying a weapon with you? You will be killed in instant!" Nami shouted at him.

They noticed his frown from under his cloak. He face was quite serious. "I said go," he told them."

"I can handle this myself… you're not built for a battle." Zoro worriedly explained.

"I don't like to use my ability in such a place like this. But it seems like it's the only way to get you out safely." Lightning muttered. "Get on the wooden raft; I will get you out of here."

Luffy smiled. "It seems like you really are a nice guy after all." Luffy jumped on the raft. "Come on everyone get on!" he shouted.

"Luffy, are you sure about trusting this guy!" Usopp shouted.

"Don't worry it seems like he has a plan!" Luffy shouted.

"I don't see an exit." Usopp muttered.

Everyone got on the raft as Lightning waved his arms pushing down. The stone tiles pulled out from under Erik's leg making him fall as he screamed. Lightning stamped his feet raising two arms up. A pillar of rock pushed them up towards the surface. The group screamed as Luffy laughed. The raft popped up into the sky as it landed on the ground before the hole.

Lightning waved his arms down as it shot back into the earth.

Luffy looked down with a smile. "That's so cool! He made a rock pillar and managed to knock him down at the same time!" Luffy shouted with sparkles.

"You mean this guy has a devil fruit as well!" Usopp shouted.

"This man has the ability of to control earth at will. What a dangerous ability seeing that everyone depends on land to walk." Nami muttered.

"No matter where you go, he can easily trip you up." Sanji muttered.

"So that was his plan to make sure we can go out the only exit, while he fell down to fight him." Zoro noticed.

"Why is helping us, we don't know anything about him." Apis muttered.

"He is a good guy after all." Luffy explained.

Lightning noticed the man getting up growling at him.

"I will make you pay for that!" he shouted.

"Take your time to get down the mountain! He will not bother with you all again after this." Lightning explained to them.

Luffy nodded as he turned to them. "Let's go everyone, Hikari got this!" Luffy shouted. He helped pulled the cart along with them.

Lightning looked up at the man who brushed the dust off his chest. "Who are you? You are impeding my quest to kill that dragon for the elixir of life." The man told him.

"The elixir made from dragon bones… what a bunch of bullshit. Even I know that the legend is not true. I'm willing to bet you will try to kill even the little girl Apis for the dragon. By the way who are you?" Lightning asked him.

"I'm Eric the Whirlwind, I'm a mercenary employed by the marines. I will easily tear you to shreds and be on my way to kill them all along with the dragon!" Eric swiped his hands. "Kama-Kama no Wind Scythe!"

He shouted making a high pressurized wind at Lightning. He easily shifted leg slightly as moved his finger a little. A wall of earth came to block it only making a dent in the rock. Eric grew frustrated as he looked at the ceiling.

"You should not take your eyes off you opponents." Lightning reminded him. As he stamped the ground as five bricks flew out from it. He quickly did a round house guiding it towards him. Eric hastily cut them to destroy them. He noticed the rocks split and still went in his direction. "Just because you split them doesn't mean you stopped it."

The rocks slammed into his body as Eric was laid on the ground. His clothes were dirty and cut up.

"I really dislike using my ability, but I didn't bring my weapons today. So get up mercenary, before I kill you like a dog." Lightning explained to him.

"I will be sure to cut you limb from limb now!" He shouted as threw arms. "Kama-Kama no Whirlwind!"

He flicked two blades of air with greater strength.

_It seems the wind have enough strength as a named blade, but very weak compared to higher grade than fifty works." _Lightning thought.

He easily pushed up more of the ground here. He compressed into hard stone as the wind made some scratch damage. Eric growled in frustration.

"Why the hell can't cut through some broken down heap of rock!" He shouted.

"Because I can compress and alter the density of the stone. Your winds are blunt and they barely cut down their target as well. You hardly learned the potential of your fruit. You're just like the other devil fruit users I met. Weak and arrogant to think it will always solve you of your problems."

He dropped the rock wall down as he reformed the ground again. "Let's try that again!" he shouted. He threw more blades of wind at him. Lightning noticed the mirror moved in front of him as the wind bounced against it. It appeared having seals around it as the wind hit it. It pushed to the side and blew away. It spun away back to his back as he cracked his neck.

"Is that a mirror?" Eric asked him. He grunted in frustration again.

"Well I told you I didn't need my abilities, but I will ask you know. Forget about killing the dragon along with the girl."

"Why is that? This is the elixir of life, one that can make us live forever. You're a devil fruit just like me. I'm tired of the meaningless fighting. Why don't we share the dragon together seeing we have the strength to easily overpower those brats?" Eric asked him.

"No thanks, I don't want such a thing." Lightning replied to him.

"Don't you want eternal life?"

"I'm not interested didn't I tell you. Who would want to live forever watch people you love and die each time? What you are talking about is a fairy tale? A warped story of Sennenryu, they go to the dragon's nest to die and be reborn again. The tablet on the ground suggested the fact they never die and the island is under water. This is a meaningless fight, I have taken many lives in return; I never did it for enjoyment or some thrill for it. I did it to protect others and stop others from destroying others. I will ask you one more time to stop this silly venture or _else_."

"It seems like I have no choice, but to shred you to pieces!" Eric shouted.

…

The Straw-hats and Apis were pushing the dragon down the mountain. Luffy had a smile on his face as he made sure the cart didn't go out of control.

"Luffy are you sure Hikari-san will be okay?" Apis asked him.

He turned to her who was riding the cart. "Don't worry that guy seems really strong. He even has the cool power to manipulate earth." Luffy excitedly told her.

"The fact he had a devil fruit and he sails alone is amazing. The power to control the very earth is dangerous even for us." Nami mentioned.

"Luffy, are you sure that guy told the truth. Why would he help us?" Usopp asked them.

"Because he is a good guy Usopp" Luffy answered him.

"Are you stupid? Who is a good guy that has to wear a mask and hood to cover his face?" Sanji asked them.

The group heard an explosion go off near the top of the hill. Dust covered the ruins.

"It seems like the fight is getting out of hand. We best hurry and get to the Going Merry. I don't know who will this battle?" Zoro muttered.

…

The surface of the ruins as Eric flipped out of the dust as he smirked.

"It seems you have to keep your hands or feet attached to ground to make you attacks work! Besides that you can even see when you throw up the walls of earth." I have to focus my air to be a bit sharper to cut through that dense rock you create." Eric boasted. "Your attacks ...

The dust blew away as Lightning stood there cracking his neck. He kicked off his boots as he set them aside. "You have to forgive me; it's been awhile I since I practice the earth element power. I use water as a power, but mostly. I usually have the style to channel defense into offensive rather than maintain both. To have mastery over earth I have to forget eye sight. For this reason I studied moles." Lightning explained.

He shifted his style into another fighting style. "I don't care for the lesson now just die. Kama-Kama no Whirlwind!" He shouted throwing two wind blades.

Lighting waved his hands up. "Earth Wall!" he shouted. He rose up his hand up. A rock wall came up to block the blow. It ripped into the wall as Eric grunted. He soon saw a flying mirror smash into his face He was knocked back as blood trickle from his nose as he looked back at the man. He saw the mirror attach to his back now.

"You bastard…" Eric muttered under his breath.

"_It's weird to see that this weird mirror can block attacks or deflect them from my body. But if the attack is too big for the mirror it will not block it. It also seems to affect devil fruit users a bit differently and it seems it has a rhythm to continue attacks._

"It's still not too late to change your mind. Even if you do run, I can easily block your escape and destroy your boat preventing you from leaving this island." Lightning explained to them.

"Then it means that I will just take your boat then. It seems I will have to use the ultimate kamaitachi attack again. I will blow down the rock walls with ease." Eric smiled. "Kama-Kama no Wind Scythe Chaos!"

Eric slashed his arms in the air sending three wind blades towards him. He swirled a large wind blade like a whirlwind at the ground. It was ripping up the ground as Lighting tipped his hands up.

Several more walls sprouted up as the walls collided ripping up the rocks as Eric smiled.

"It seems like your ability doesn't compared to mine after all!" Eric shouted.

He levitated the rocks as he punched forward as rocks were sent flying into him. They smashed into his body as some shards ripped him up. Lightning stood there and let the wind brush upon him. "Rock prison!" he shouted. The rocks smashed together around Eric's body leaving his head exposed.

"What the hell is going on? Why didn't my m-move hit you?" Eric coughed up blood. He asked him as Lightning picked up his boots. He walked up to him as he shook his head.

"Easy your attack loses its edge after hitting targets. Your wind can cut through steel with ease, but the numerous rock walls had density of iron. By creating several of them I managed to the push the destructive wind around me. Then I used the rocks you cut up for my next attack." Lightning explained.

"Can you let me go? I promise to not hurt anyone! I need to see a doctor or else I will die." Eric panicked. He was coughing up blood.

"Please it didn't hit anything vital Eric. Do you really fear death so much? You would run after some legend that has no merit to it."

"Don't you fear death?" He gasped.

"No, but I fear not accomplishing something great before my death. Despite that I have done several things that would make my people proud. Yet I can't allow you to leave now after you denied my offer. I will have no doubt you would try it again or move on to other places. You're a brutal and cruel person underneath and you will abuse hurt innocent people for your own self-interest." Lightning explained.

"Can't you give me one chance? Are you child of god?" Eric asked him.

Lightning shrugged as he let the technique down as Eric fell to the ground. He gasped for air as Lighting carried his boots. "I can give people a second chance, but don't push it. I may follow god's word, but some people will continue the path of ruin. No doubt leading to your death, I hope you will rethink your actions. Goodbye Eric." Lightning walked off.

Eric smirked as he got up preparing a strike. "What a fool you are…" Eric muttered." He swiped his hand creating a wind blade. "Die you fool!"

Lightning side stepped the blow. He pulled out a knife from his pouch as he tossed it full speed into chest. Eric screamed out as he shook his head.

"I gave you chance to live, but it was either me or you. I'm sorry that it has to be this way." Lightning muttered.

…

Luffy's crew made it to shore as they were making preparation to leave. The heard a piecing scream go through the air as everyone turned in shock.

"It seems someone won the battle." Zoro muttered.

"Who is it the weird guy with the mask or the guy wanting dragon bones?" Usopp asked a bit scared.

Apis saw a bird fly down towards her flapping its wings. "It seems the guy named Hikari won. But it says he will not let him go now for some reason. Apparently he gave him a chance to stop and he didn't take it." Apis muttered.

Everyone turned quiet for a moment. "He is planning to not let him go… that means he is playing keeps now." Sanji muttered.

"What do you mean by that?" Luffy asked him.

"The man called Eric is not going to be of this world anymore. I'm guessing he pressed his luck too far." Zoro muttered.

"Then we should leave here, while we can then." Usopp suggested.

"True, we need to get back to Gunkan Island now." Nami agreed.

"Alright, let's sail off towards Gunkan Island!" Luffy shouted. The group took off towards Gunkan Island leaving the two there.

…

Lightning pulled the knife from his chest as he cleaned it off. He looked in the far distance to see Straw-hats take off back towards Gunkan Island. He saw that blood flowed on the ground as he looked over to a nearby pillar of earth he made. He had several fruit sitting by on the pedestal as he checked to see Eric was finally dead. He let go seeing his pulse finally dropping as he looked up at the fruits.

"_When a devil fruit user dies what happens to the ability the one possessed. It was one of my questions when I was young boy sailing the sea. I met a man who answered my question and testing it out having variety of fruit on hand. Instead of growing from a plant, the ability simply regenerates inside another fruit that is similar and nearby. It could let me study the devil fruit and sell it after I am done studying the fruit I can sell the fruit above 100 million since I can describe the fruits potential. I should give cousin a call and see if he can sell it for me again." _Lighting thought.

He soon saw a pear turn purple that soon h1ad swirly marks on its surface. The stem curled out turning green. Lightning placed the fruit in his backpack. He placed the devil fruit in his pouch on his back. He soon slipped on his boots. He managed to wrap Eric's body in a huge tarp and tie it securely.

"I am sorry I had to do this, but I gave you so many chances to turn back. Letting you go was impossible the moment you tried killing me again. Don't worry I will pray for you at least." Lightning muttered. He heard a phone go off in his pouch. He reached for his back pocket to pick it up.

"Hello who is this I am speaking to?" Lightning asked them.

"_Hello my demon child, this is Kureha here?" _her voice told him.

"People on the island still call me demon still, though in a form of respect. I will let slid is anything wrong. Wapol is back the country and you want me to make it back to intercept him." Lightning asked her.

"No, he isn't back, but you sending my contact information to some woman to cover your tracks look suspicious to me. A woman with wore a white cowboy hat and revealing outfit under her jacket. She came up to me in town once asking for you. I was wondering if your parents had set up an Omiai or you did (Arranged marriage)." She laughed.

Lightning blushed as he shook his head. "No way, I don't have bad luck meeting other women, but I have certain preferences and requirements." Lightning blushed.

He heard a witch like laughter on the other side of the phone. "You using your doctor's degree to attack young maidens or try to impress them. You even experiment on your patients like some mad scientist. You remind me of that quack doctor that lived here." Kureha laughed.

Lightning shook his head. "First of all if I wanted to meet women I would have just been pediatrician seeing mothers bring most of the children. Two experimental procedures should be frowned unless they don't work. I make miracles happen and give people more opportunities to enjoy life. Besides that I am not a quack who pretends to be a doctor. Chopper's father was a more of a scientist than a medical doctor." Lightning clarified.

Kureha laughed. "Well it seems you are quite correct about Hiluluk. But you have the luck of meeting pure maidens and corrupting them. But I have to tell you something important before I head back up to my castle. There will be a package at Twin Cape detailing the job. Be sure to pick it up before you head out again. I will be sending a picture of the woman Chopper took for me to you soon. I'm heading back up to the castle with Chopper so he can work on a cure for that disease you brought him. See you later." Kureha explained.

She hanged up the phone up as Lightning walked to shore as he noticed a life boat. He carefully laid him in it. He shoved the boat off to sea as snapped his fingers. A stream of fire erupted onto the boat as it burned. He prayed silently as the boat burned at sea. He looked up to see the boat drop into the depths of the sea.

"Using earth related attacks isn't my style, but it seems like I'm slacking in my training still. I prefer to adaptive and being mobile. Seeing fire and earth drain me the most compared to the other five elements of my disposal. I should make haste and go towards the Grand Line now."

Lightning walked across the shore seeing his boat. He quickly boarded his boat as he sat there for a moment.

"Dot, take us out towards the Grand Line please." Lightning asked the computer.

The helm's computer came alive as the anchor retracted as the sails unfolded.

"_I am correcting course and going to Reverse Mountain. So sit down and relax Lightning. I will call you on any developments that require your immediate action." _The synthesized female voice told him. He quickly nodded to the idea.

"Thank you, but I will be putting up for my information on the ruins along with the samples I gathered." He explained. He felt the boat shift towards the west now. He causally walked into his boat and looked into the living room. He quickly noticed a picture was printing out as he saw the picture print out. He picked it up quickly noticing the person on the picture. He quickly walked back to his study room to put several things up.

He quickly looked at the woman wearing a white cowboy hat, white coat, and white boots. It looked like she wore a revealing purple and black outfit underneath it that showed a bit of cleavage. She had black hair and dark blue with a ring of lighter blue around them. She had her arms crossed as the doctor was drinking her favorite plum wine.

"_This looks strangely familiar… to Nico Robin." _Lightning thought. He quickly walked into his study room. He took off his pouch and set aside on the table.

"I will move everything to the right place when I log it. But this takes priority first."

He looked on the wall to see numerous sketch designs of inventions and paintings. He noticed the only bounty poster on the wall. He looked at it too see a younger version of the woman staring off in the distance on a ship. She was looking off into the distance.

"To think that my islands history and my family secret are related to this girl's pursuit is ridiculous. To think that mother was the link between Nico Robin and my family's history along with tradition brought this." He placed the photo and picture down on the table.

"_Seismic quakes have been detected earlier, I would like you to come out and see the sight before you." _Dot told him.

He quickly picked up his camera as he quickly walked outside. He saw Gunkan Island was extended. He saw several rocks looking like dragons in the distance. He instantly saw packs of dragon's roosting there helping little baby dragons. He was snapping pictures of the sight before him. He noticed a fleet of Marine ships were destroyed. He saw Luffy sailing off waving goodbye to Apis as he smirked. He took one more picture of the scene. He looked over to see Apis waving to him.

"Thank you Hikari-san!" Apis shouted.

Lighting waved off to her as she smiled back.

"Well it seems East Blue has been eventful trip, but now I have to go back to the Grand Line again. I have to make a stop at the Twin Capes to receive my package from her. I am guessing I am being pulled into some big situation and no doubt it's because of my reputation." Lightning muttered. He walked up to the helm to take off to Reverse Mountain.


	5. Chapter 5

**Hello it's me again with a new chapter this time. I had to do several spelling and grammar checks for the time being. I am trying to get the right character characterization for the Straw-hats. I decided to throw in a different element most don't employ into their story. I decided that I will show more story and fights of the straw-hats if possible. Some battles may be AU in a sense seeing the fact OC's can also change the story a bit from my perspective. Majority of the ones in the story sit back and wait for things to happen. I decided to change it up a bit from the usual canon that Oda presents. I hope you all enjoy this chapter and review. It's been a great start despite the slow place. See you guys later and I hope you enjoy the rest of your weekend.**

…

**Chapter 4**

**Secret Organization**

…

Despite it was sunny day an island named Cactus Rock was quiet misty. Lightning's boat sat around the side the island sitting calmly. He was sitting in the nearby kitchen linked to the living room as he was making something for lunch. He cracked his neck as he walked back into the living room to relax. He sat down in on the couch as he easily picked up his notebook. He pulled out a pen to write with.

"_It's been a couple days since the Reverse Mountain trip, but it seems like the Straw-hat's crew had a bad start. They ran into several problems before running up the stream that Reverse Mountain produced. Apparently there whip-staff broke when they were taken by the current. They nearly slammed into the wall until Luffy made himself a balloon to redirect the ship back on course. I thought Luffy was a bit reliable at time until I saw what happened next. I wondered why these people were following him in the first place._

_It seemed like the whale stood against the Grand Line again. They couldn't avoid the whale and panicked. Luffy quickly went into action… I was thinking he might drop the anchor… but no he would easily shoot the cannon instead. His crew panicked and rowed beside the whale only for letting Luffy to stretch his arm and punch it. Apparently the figurehead was his favorite seat, but the whale grew angry and swallowed his boat. He fell off the boat, but he luckily to land on top its head. He went down the trapdoor on its head._

_Meanwhile I had to wait outside for the news coo delivering my potential new job. I found a boat nearby that smashed into the cliff side. I instantly went to check on it only to find no one. I only found 500, 000 beri aboard the ship and I confiscated for security purposes… hehe._

_The old man apparently saved the rookie pirates by getting them out the whale and supplying them a Log Pose for traveling. The Log Pose he gave was in commemoration for fighting the whale using his mast. Luffy was giving the whale a reason to be at peace as I took a photo to remember the moment. Despite his reckless actions he had a good heart, but that type of action can only hurt his crew in the end. It seems he only thinks fighting can simply answer all of his problems._

_The bird finally got there in time as I noticed my instructions to head to the nearby island called Cactus Rock. I was supposed to tie a purple cloth to the sail of the mast. I am supposed to wait here until the client arrives to talk to me." _He heard the beeping sound go off. He closed his book. He placed it in a nearby drawer and locked it. He made sure the key was placed snuggly inside his pockets.

He quickly checked his clothes to see they were alright. He wore a black mask that covered his lower face. He wore a small headband and cloth to keep his blond hair out of his eyes. He wore a simple grey shirt underneath a white flak jacket with pockets. He wore black pants that covered his legs. He wore a black set of slippers instead of sandals. He had a set of fingerless glove that were shoved in one of his vest pockets. The two gloves had metal plates sewed on the back of their hands. He walked back into the kitchen to prepare his food.

…

A giant turtle with a dark brown shell and a grayish-green underbelly was swimming through the mist. It had bored expression on its face as it smoked a cigar. It had a grey hat on its head as a pink cloth tied to its head. Someone sat in a comfortable and lined chair on its back. A woman sat down looking with a smile as she saw a purple cloth tied to the mast.

"Well it looks like he showed up to the meeting spot before I got here." She muttered.

She had straight black hair that went down passed her shoulders. She wore a fancy purple cowgirl hat, a purple vest that was laced up in the front, a short purple skirt, and purple cowboy boots. Her elegant facial features made her resemble a crane and her eyes were dark blue with a ring of lighter blue around them. She had her legs crossed and was leaning her elbow on one of her knees while she casually rested her chin against her hand and surveyed the boat in the distance.

"It's such a nice boat; it looks like a luxury class boat. But it's cleverly disguised as some futuristic battle ship. I have to be careful on how I handle this situation. The person I am hiring is a high class bounty hunter and the island formerly named Drum called him a demon for a good reason. Dozens of pirate crews who went to pillage never come back unless they have a bounty. I should see what type of defenses the boat has."

She waved her arm as several arms sprouted on the side of the boat. "**Ojos Fleur **(_Eyes flower)." _Eyes appeared on the ends of hand. She closed her eyes to focus on the target.

She saw several cameras positioned around the boat. She positioned the arms to look around the floor to see nothing at all. The arms dissipated into pinkish-white petal-like particles. She looked down at Banchi.

"Banchi, can you take me up to that boat so I can board it?" She asked the turtle. The turtle moved closer towards the boat as the turtle came beside it. She jumped across as she landed on the side of the ship. A blaring alarm came on as she looked around.

"_How did I set off a trap? I was sure I moved out of the camera's views. The boat must have advance security that I didn't account for." _Robin thought.

The camera moved on her as it gave off a blue hue for the lens. "State your intent intruder and your name?" the synthesized female voice gave off. The lens flicked like it was a voice.

"Are you some machine?" She asked the AI.

"I ask to identify yourself intruder or I will use force to eliminate you." Dot explained.

She looked around to see anymore defenses. She heard a few footsteps coming towards the door. "No need Dot, let me handle this. She must be the client that I am waiting for." A male voice called out.

"I will reset the defenses and look out for other potential enemies." Dot replied.

Robin looked at the man who opened the side door. He looked a bit bored or not amused at all by his facial expression provided by his eyes. The mask covered his face except his hair and eyes. "So you must be the client that sent me the information that was delivered at Twin Capes." Lightning asked her.

She nodded with a smile on her face. "So you must be the person Doctor Kureha has told me about. You can call me Miss All Sunday." Sunday explained to him.

He gave a respectful bow. "Since we are not giving our real names, you can call me Hikari then. Please come in and sit down. We can discuss the details of the job then." He waved his hand in. She walked in with stride as he closed the door.

"_Extremely polite and he has manners unlike some men I meet. Despite wearing a mask he is quite hard to read. He clearly saw the clothes I wore and didn't fawn over me meaning sex appeal doesn't sway his thinking. He is clearly a warrior by standards seeing he wears clothes to match his profession as mercenary, freelancer, or a bounty hunter. Though he has trained under a real doctor so meaning he is quite intelligent." _Robin thought.

"I just ate lunch a while ago, would you like anything to eat or drink before we talk about the details of the job?" Lightning asked her.

She smiled to him. "I would some coffee and a sandwich please if you would." She asked him.

He nodded heading towards the kitchen. She looked around the room to see it was quite luxurious and comfortable. She saw him walk into the kitchen to prepare something.

"You can sit down, while I prepare a cup of coffee for you and a BLT grilled chicken sandwich. Coffee and the middle of the day seem quite unreasonable seeing most people drink it in the morning. You can sit down on the couch" Lightning muttered 

She sat down as she crossed her arms closing her eyes. "**Ojos Fleur**." Sunday muttered. Several eyes sprouted in the kitchen despite the open view of the bar.

She noticed the man wasn't doing anything strange at all. He placed a coffee mug under a machine. He quickly added coffee grounds and water to it. He closed it and started the machine.

"Do you want any milk or sugar to go with it?" Lightning asked her.

"No thanks… I would love to have just plain." Sunday clarified.

The man nodded as he moved over to a plate to make the food. He made one sandwich and cut it half. The process only took a few minutes as he decided to head back with the cup of coffee in hand along with the sandwich. She resumed normal behavior and dispelling the technique.

He set the food and the coffee down. "Thank you." She took a sip of coffee. He sat down in a leather seat across from on a table. He folded his arms and crossed his leg over.

"Take your time… you can start at any time explaining the mission. I'm guessing that this request will no doubt be difficult in some regard." He explained.

She nodded yes. "Thank you having patience with me. I traveled long and hard without stopping too many times." She ate her sandwich quite lady like. It took her a few moments to finish leaving her half her cup filled with coffee still. "Now let's get to business, I have a big request to ask of you. I know your reputation is quite famous around Drum Island and other parts of the Grand Line as a fierce bounty hunter."

"Actually I am not a full time bounty hunter Miss All Sunday. I only act when others are in danger, destroying towns, or they just mess around me. Otherwise I pursue other paths." Lightning explained.

"Being a doctor I presume." Sunday explained.

"Not quite I am scientist foremost and everything else is a secondary pursuit. My boat is often the target for other pirates and fools trying to take my things. Between big jobs or projects I do bounty work to stay afloat. I let my work sink in and let the client see my work actually fulfill his wishes. Then I get paid accordingly and most often times I get bonuses." Lightning explained.

"What happens when people don't pay?" She inquired.

"That's why I make them sign a contract and sign with blood and fingerprint. If that doesn't work I go to all their acquaintances and friends to show they are cheat. Often threatening them I will place my story in the newspaper so people will never do business with them. If that doesn't work and they try killing me I will send a message by eliminating the people sent after me. Sometimes I have to take it by force especially for the greedy back stabbers." Lightning explained.

"Oh my, it makes you almost sound as a pirate that walk through blood." She laughed.

"I take my jobs and responsibility seriously. I pride myself in the work I provide to others. People mocking my work or others calling it third rate are clients who don't want to pay the money that they owe." He explained.

"Enough about chatting things, let's get down to business then." She informed him crossing her legs. "The mission will be long and arduous. I want you to perform several things for me and I will pay you handsomely for the job." She explained.

"I don't talk money at all until all the details or explained. If the request is filled with information gaps or targeting innocent people. Then I'm not doing it all and we will terminate this talk about a job." Lightning explained. "I do have my morals; I won't be lulled and tricked by anyone."

"Fair enough Hikari, the mission is to take out some notorious assassins working for an organization called the Baroque Works. They pose a great threat to me and they are not innocent people I assure." She explained.

"I'm guessing you're in this organization then." Lightning muttered.

"I'm not ready to reveal or deny anything until you proven yourself capable and then I will reveal more sensitive information to you."

"A test… I'm guessing it's nearby at that town." Lightning guessed.

She nodded yes. "I want you to play guardian angel to these two people. She pulled out two pictures from her skirt. She laid them down on the table. He noticed the pictures with a young girl and old man there.

He noticed the man in question was a tall man with a small red nose and has blonde hair in a style that resembles that were curled up. He wore a suit as he looked like a gentleman.

The girl is question was no doubt between fifteen and eighteen. She had blue hair that draped over her shoulder as she wore robes or royalty. She saw with a duck besides her looking at the camera.

"Super spot-billed duck eh, it seems these people are from Alabasta. It seems like this is the Princess of Alabasta and Igaram head of the Royal Guard. They went missing over two years ago." Lightning muttered.

"Quite observant and you have a sharp eye for detailed. Tonight is the night where the assassins' will come to kill them."

"When does this mission start?" Lightning asked her.

"Tonight, and then you will meet back with me to discuss more details. We will exchange contact information and you report to me periodically. I will most likely you call you seeing I am busy person after all."

He nodded his head. "Very well then, I might as well get ready for the operation." He got up from his chair.

"If we ever meet in together with people in presence…"

"Act like we don't know each other, I know the drill. But I rather not use Den-Den mushi's to call each other back and forth." He explained. He turned to her. "I have another method that will suffice and the marines can't tap into. I will be sure to give it to you when we meet up again."

Miss All Sunday got up from the couch. "May I ask you something before I leave?" She asked him.

"Go ahead." He reassured her.

"Where is your bathroom at?"

"I will show you the bathroom then since I'm on my way to the armory." He explained. He followed him. She noticed several doors are locked aboard this ship. Some of the rooms that were open were for guests, study room, kitchen, living room, and apparently his room. He pointed to the door close by. I situate the bathroom near all the guest rooms. I will be arming myself for battle. What method do you want me to employ?"

"I want you to be noticed by their agents. I prefer you deal with it directly, but leave them alive to tell the story unless you want to end up as a blood splatter." She giggled with a smile.

She walked into the bathroom to see it was comfortable, spacious, and luxurious like the rest of the boat.

"I don't know why he would take a job that is so mysterious or the details not fully explained. It seems like he more than money to supply himself for years." She muttered.

…

It was dark time as Lightning wore a full mask as a gold visor covered his face. A black cloak covered his body as they were a small band holding bullets on his left arm. He carried Senjou no Datta on his back that was covered up in bandages. He had pouch filled with medical supplies and tools. He carried a folded up weapon in his hand. He unfolded it to reveal a huge sniper rifle that was matted black. A high powered scope was attached to the top of the rifle. His left arm had electronic pad tied to it as it glowed a dark blue.

He overlooked the rock to see the town. It was bunch of buildings made of stones mostly. He saw a mechanical bird flying in the air resembling an owl.

He pointed his rifle towards a group of people out in town. He turned on his laser microphone to hear something. He was looking threw his electronic display as a small map appeared up on right side of his helmet.

"Dot, can you brief me on what's going?" Lightning asked the female AI.

"_The Straw-hat pirates made it to the island earlier today. The town's people cheered and welcome their arrival to the Grand Line. They accepted their offer and went to party within a building. Problem is that this town is just a shell town. It offers no trading, ports, business, education, doctors, and no proper structure for a real town." _She analyzed.

"It's a bounty town trained to lure in naive pirates to party and pass out drunk. Then they wake up in marine's base waiting for transfer to Impel Down. Not quite an original idea if you say so, and it's hardly a full proof plan." Lightning explained.

He noticed one of the targets who were suppose to protect walk outside looking at the moon. He looked up at the moon. He quietly listened to his headphones as the laser microphone recorded their conversation real time.

…

"They've finally tired themselves out and fallen asleep. Sweet dreams. My little adventurers… The night, the dancing moonlight is glistening beautifully on the Cactus Rocks." The man muttered. He turned around looking at the moon.

Two people sat on the edge of a building as they looked at the man.

A man was wearing a fancy green suit and a crown on his head. He had orange hair and had swirls that looked like '9's' drawn on his cheeks.

The woman had her long blue hair pulled up into a high ponytail with a gold band. She wore a green coat with a furry white neck and a blue and gray diagonally striped sleeveless shirt underneath. Finishing off the outfit was a pair of white shorts.

"Well, aren't you a poet, Igarappoi. Rather Mr.8." Mr. 9 noted.

"So it's you two." Mr.8 muttered.

The two jumped off the edge and landed on the ground.

"What of them?" Miss Wednesday asked.

"They have fallen… into hell, that is." Mr.8 answered.

A door opened up from the inn. "They were a stubborn bunch," a voice came from the Sister came out of the inn. "We had to keep putting more and more alcohol in their drinks. If we hadn't, they'd still be awake causing a ruckus."

The sister pulled off her hood to reveal a head of pink hair and twin pig tails. "Still was it necessary to put on a drama for five measly little kids?"

She pulled off her black nun-dress to reveal an extremely muscular physique and a red and white checkered dress.

"We should have finished them off at the harbor. Even without them here, the whole town has a food shortage to worry about. I knew these two wouldn't be able to bring back that whale meat." She muttered.

"Miss Monday, you don't have to say it like that! We have tried very hard, I'll have you know!" Mr. 9 protested.

"Compose yourselves! Look at this. I've been doing some checks on them," Mr. 8 ordered. He held up a poster of Luffy's bounty.

"Thirty million beri?" Ms. Monday, Ms. Wednesday, and Mr. 9 shouted.

"Those guys," Mr. 9 shouted in shock.

"It is foolish to judge a pirate's abilities by their appearance alone, Miss- Ahem. Mi-mi~! Miss Monday."

"…I'm so ashamed." Miss Monday said with her hand to her head.

"But now that they've been disposed of, we can make a favorable report to the boss. We will take all the valuables on their boat immediately." Mr. 8 devised.

"And what about them," Miss Monday asked.

"What will we do? " Mr. 9 asked as well.

"If we kill them, we lose thirty percent of the bounty. The government enjoys its public executions, after all. GO, capture them alive!" Mr. 8 ordered.

"Hey. Sorry to interrupt…," came a voice. Mr. 8, Ms. Monday, Mr. 9, and Ms. Wednesday all turned around to see Zoro sitting on the roof of the inn holding his sword out beside him. "But could you let them sleep a little longer? They're tired from this afternoon's voyage.

"Mr. 8, Ms. Monday!" a villager exclaimed as he and another came out from the inn hold in a gun, "One wearing a haramaki has escaped…!"

"He's up there." Ms. Wednesday pointed out as she glared up at the green-haired swordsman on the roof.

"Fiend, you should have been completely unconscious!" Mr.8 shouted out.

"A true swordsman never drinks himself into a stupor. Plus, I took a nap earlier," said Zoro. He stood up from his position. "And judging by the cheap disguises and scowls, I'm guessing you're all bounty hunters." Zoro stood up with his sword in hand.

A mechanical owl landed on a wooden peg on the building.

"_Baroque Works…" _Dot processed.

"And a den of bounty hunters can be a dangerous place," Zoro continued smirking. "Your specialty around here is tricking and robbing the drunken pirates who fall for your hospitality. Original, I'll give you that much." Zoro looks around the crowd. "I'm counting about a hundred of you scumbags, give or take."

"_A hundred individuals versus 1, odds seem stack from one point of view." _The lens of the bird watched with interest.

"Doesn't matter, I'll take you all on. You hear me, Baroque Works?" said Zoro.

Mr. 8 and everyone else had expressions of pure surprise. "You know the name of our company! How!"

"When I was in your line of work, once upon a time, your company tried to entice me with a job offer. Naturally, I said no. Do the same rules still apply? Employee identities kept secret, cheesy code names, the boss's identity and whereabouts are kept a mystery to everyone?

"Baroque Works. The criminal organization who loyally obeys the boss's orders like herded sheep," Zoro said, still smirking. "Heh. That's some secret."

Silence could be heard from the crowd. The wind blew past them.

Mr. 8 then spoke in a grim tone. "This is quite unexpected. If you already know all of our secrets, then we have no choice… but to kill you."

Zoro frowned. The mechanical bird flew up high again

Mr. 8 narrowed his eyes at Zoro. "Let there be another tombstone added on the cactus rocks tonight."

Lightning sat on a ridge overlooking it all. Video and audio was being sent to his helmet. _"Well it seems like the advantage is in their court. Help him and run the risk of the people I am suppose to protect die. Meaning I failed the mission or let them sit back to kill this man and possibly the rest of the crew." _Lightning thought.

"**KIIIILL HIIIIIM**!" Mr. 8 yelled.

One hundred bounty hunters hadn't seen the swordsman disappear. "H-he d-disappeared," Ms. Wednesday stammered.

…

Lightning sat on the ridge as he overlooked the battle taking place. He watched Zoro was running through the town after his little disappearance act.

"_The odds of the swordsman Roronoa Zoro winning are high." _Dot announced.

"I know these people are trained Dot, they used the ruse of giving parties to pirates just to make them fall asleep a little too much. Or the fact they have no discipline or real leadership to train these people. They were most likely just cluttered together after some people scouted them out. Then only the best would remain a numbered agent to fight them." Lightning muttered.

"_Will you act now?" _Dot asked him through his speakers.

"No, seeing I only care about two people out of 98 people fighting him, but it looks like a slaughter and quite embarrassing to even look at. Can you please record the battle for me? I cannot record everything at this angle." He asked Dot.

"_I will continue to monitor his progress and monitor the two targets for the mission."_ Dot explained.

…

Zoro was hiding from the bounty hunters as he made two quick disappearances' to cause confusion in their ranks. Several people lay on the ground bleeding or dying. Majority of the fighters were slashed down as Zoro moved through the town.

"He's got nowhere to run up there!" a bounty hunter laughed as he and a few others climbed up a ladder after Zoro. But he stopped and stared at shock when Zoro reached down and grabbed the top of the ladder. Zoro shoved the ladder and it tipped backwards with all of the bounty hunters now clinging to it.

Before the ladder could fall, Zoro leapt from the rooftop he was on to the top of the falling ladder and used it as a springboard to reach the rooftop across the alley.

Zoro flew through the air and realized that the rooftop he was intent on landing on was filled with bounty hunters that had their guns aimed at him. The bounty hunters fired but the bullets just whizzed past Zoro as he began his descent.

"**Nitouryuu** (Two sword style) …" Zoro began as he held Sandai Kitetsuand Yubashiri out at his sides. "**Takanami!** (Hawk Wave)" Zoro landed and slashed both swords at the bounty hunters. Air pressurized wind collided with the bounty hunters collapsed to the ground leaving Zoro standing over them.

Another group of bounty hunters leapt onto the roof top after Zoro. Zoro drove his swords into the roof and cut a circle then stepped to the side while the bounty hunters landed.

"Be careful, I cut a hole there…" Zoro casually warned them. The roof under the bounty hunters gave way and they all went crashing down into the building.

Zoro stared at the wall in front of him and saw a shadow that depicted someone large coming at him from behind. Miss Monday let out a yell as she swung the ladder she was holding. But Zoro dropped down onto the ground resulting in her smashing the ladder into the wall.

"Crap…she almost got me." Zoro complained.

Miss Monday threw her ladder to the side and slipped a pair of brass knuckles out of her pocket and onto her right hand. "Don't get to cocky. No man can defeat me with strength alone. This is the end for you."

Miss Monday told him as she reached out and grabbed Zoro by the throat as he was getting up. Miss Monday raised Zoro up into the air then slammed him down onto the roof.

"**Kairiki Meriken (superhuman strength fist)**!" She shouted as she pulled back her right hand and then drove the brass knuckles into Zoro's forehead with such force that the roof cracked around them.

…

Lightning watched the scene a bit amused as he looked through his visor's video system. The dust flied up around the two combatants. He pointed his rifle to listen to the three standing agents.

Mr. 8 stood on the ground floor, along with Mr. 9 and Miss Wednesday, watching the debris smoke rise up and fade away.

"What a waste of- _ahem_. Maaa~…time. But we now managed to finally put an end to him." Mr. 8 said, as he waited for Miss Monday to bring his body.

But then he heard an agonizing yell that sounded too feminine to be Zoro.

"AAAAAAAAAAHHHHH!"

"WHAT!" Mr. 8 cried, wide eyed, as were Mr. 9 and Miss Wednesday.

…

Zoro was standing! His hand was gripping Miss Monday's head, making her kneel to the ground! His only injury was bleeding bruise from his head.

"So, you think you're strong, muscle woman?" Zoro said in a threatening low voice. "Well then, let's see who's stronger."

Zoro gripped her head with his hand, in which Miss Monday was grunting and crying out in agony, with such great force that it soon causes her to be unconscious. Zoro let go of her head and she plopped on her back on the rooftop ground, out cold.

"_No way, _Miss Monday lost the battle of strength!" yelled a bounty hunter that was accompanying Mr. 8 and the others.

"That's impossible! It can't be!" cried another.

"Forget this, I'm _out of here_! I don't want to fight that guy!" declared a terrified hunter. The rest of the bounty hunters agreed and high tailed it out of there, leaving Mr. 8 and the other agents in the dust.

"Wait! Come back! You have a mission to fulfill!" shouted Mr. 9 after them.

Zoro looked down at the retreating bounty hunters, chuckling. "Well, it looks like it's just me and you three," he said with a smirk. "Shall we keep going, Baroque Works? I'd like to finish what I start." He licked the blood leaking from his head wound.

Mr. 8 just gritted his teeth. But then his eyes widened as he suddenly had a realization. "Of course, it's all clear now! The Marines must've gotten the wanted posters wrong! It's this man that's the captain!"

"Y-yes, of course! It has to be! I can see how this guy can be worth thirty million berries! He must be the _real_ captain!" Mr. 9 said.

Miss Wednesday narrowed her eyes. "Then we'll fight him like he is one!"

Mr. 8 grunted. "Losing to a lone pirate swordsman, this is disgraceful. And the boss left the town in our care!" Mr. 8 narrowed his eyes and said solemnly, "That means we've failed him."

Everyone was silent.

Mr. 8 lifted the saxophone up to his lips…

"IGARAPPA!"

…and blew out a barrage of bullets. Zoro quickly dodged out the way.

"Ready Miss Wednesday!" said Mr. 9.

"Ready Mr. 9!" replied Miss Wednesday.

Mr. 9, with such super agility, flip-jumped onto the second floor and third floor - which Zoro was onto the roof of the building, which was a church.

Miss Wednesday meanwhile put her index finger and a thumb in her mouth and whistled loudly. "Come Carue!"

Zoro glanced over to see a bird-like creature that came into the scene. It was the size of a riding animal and had the features of a duck and an ostrich. The animal was wearing a chullo hat on its head - along with goggles that were strapped to the hat - with a saddle on its back, equipped with two large fanny packs on each of its side and a small barrel with a straw on it looped around its neck. The animal's feathers were yellow; its tail feathers pitch black, and its bill orange and black, with the tip of its beak only orange.

The bird named Carue stood there for a while… and lifted his right wing.

"CARUE, I DIDN'T SAY SHAKE HANDS! _COME OVER HERE!_" Miss Wednesday shouted to the duck-like creature.

Carue came over as Miss Wednesday jumped on his saddle. "Alright, Carue! Show them how fast you are! Show them the speed that puts a panther to shame!" Miss Wednesday exclaimed.

Carue quacked… only to sit down.

"_WHO TOLD YOU TO SIT?_" Miss Wednesday screamed aggravatingly, hitting Carue upside the head.

"What the hell is that?" Zoro muttered.

"Can you afford to be distracted?" said a confident Mr. 9.

Zoro turned behind them to see Mr. 9 doing rapid back somersaults as he cascaded down the curved structure of the church onto the roof of the third floor. While doing back somersaults, Mr. 9 then swung a metal bat in Zoro's direction, of which Zoro deflected with his sword just in time. Mr. 9, with the velocity of his acrobats, flew over Zoro and landed on his two feet, with two metal bats in his hand.

"Hahahahaha! Careful not to nick your precious blades, swordsman! These bats are made of one-hundred percent pure metal!" Mr. 9 informed.

Zoro was inspecting his blade to make sure it wasn't chipped. It wasn't.

"What's the matter?" Mr. 9 obnoxiously taunted. "Are you too scared to fight?"

Zoro answered by pointing one of his swords directly in front of Mr. 9's face threateningly. Mr. 9 made an 'eep' noise and arched back. Zoro, with only one hand, began fencing Mr. 9, as the dual metal bat wielding agent frantically parried Zoro's attacks.

"What happened to your fancy acrobatics, huh?" Zoro taunted as he backed Mr. 9 up to the edge of the roof.

"You want to see them so badly?" questioned Mr. 9. "Then watch carefully!" Mr. 9 did a back flip away from Zoro… and off of the roof. Mr. 9 let out a scream as he fell downwards and smashed through the top of a wooden box.

"Isn't there anyone worth fighting around here?" Zoro wondered as he stared at the smoke that had resulted from Mr. 9's landing.

"Well, well, Mr. Bushido, it seems you have beaten Mr. 9. I'll let you know, however, that I am also not one to be underestimated with!" Miss Wednesday said as she began to stand on the back of Carue. She then said flirtatiously, "Take a good look at my outfit," Zoro raised an eyebrow at this suggestion. She then began to sway her hips as well as her whole body back and forth as she did some sort of enchanting dance. Her shirt, which had three hypnotic patterns on it – two on each side of her breasts and one on her stomach -, started to hypnotized Zoro as she continued her swaying dance.

"Enchanting Vertigo Dance…" Miss Wednesday said playfully.

Eyes wide, Zoro started to lose his footing. He knelt down with one leg on the ground, trying to regain his posture.

"Good boy now to finish you." Miss Wednesday smirked.

She pulled out something that looked like a colorful looking razor sharp blade with a string attached to it, along with a finger handle. She slipped her left pinky finger in the handle, then pulled the blade to make the string longer, and twirled it around in a fast, deadly fashion.

"Here it comes! Go Carue! _PEACOCK SLASHER!_" Miss Wednesday exclaimed.

Carue charged at the swordsman with a loud quack. Zoro, still feeling a little woozy, noticed that Miss Wednesday was coming right towards him with her twirling weapon, ready to dispose of him.

Or at least that's what he thought. Apparently, Carue was going the wrong way as Miss Wednesday's twirling blade was at her left side, yet Carue was passing Zoro on his right.

"WHAT ARE YOU _DOING_? YOU'RE GOING THE WRONG WAY!" Miss Wednesday yelled at Carue. She then saw that they were heading towards the roof edge. "CARUE, STOP!_ STOP!_" But unfortunately for her and her ride, they all fell off the roof. "AAAAAAHHHHH!"

_**CRASH!**_

"These guys are so pathetic, fighting them is starting to get embarrassing," Zoro muttered.

Zoro heard the saxophone was about to play. Mr. 8 blew his saxophone/shotgun at the running swordsman. Zoro evaded the bullets and went down the hole.

Mr. 8 growled. "Going down a rabbit hole won't save you. From this point on, I'll show you the _meaning_ of fear."

Zoro ran out of the building as he headed for cover. He hid in the shadow of a building as he looked around for enemies.

"That shotgun's a pain in the ass. How am I going to get close enough to him," Zoro said to himself.

Then all of a sudden, next to the building they were once on, someone shot up from wrecked wooden crates and barrels. It was none other than Mr. 9, and he wasn't the slightest bit happy.

"Aaaaargh! You lousy swordsman! You think you can pull the wool over my eyes, you freaking bastard!" exclaimed Mr. 9.

Zoro raised an eyebrow at him. "What are you talking about? You're the one who fell."

"_ENOUGH OF THIS!_ HOME-RUN HIDE-A-BAT!" Apparently, one of his bats he was carrying was also a device that made the top part of the bat come lunging out towards Zoro. Caught off guard, he raised his left arm with his sword in hand, only to let a steel rope, that was connected to the bottom half of the bat, wrap around it.

"Steel chains…" Zoro muttered.

"So you caught him." Mr. 8 muttered.

Mr. 9 growled, "Damn it! Hurry Mr. 8! Finish the swordsman off _now_!"

"Yes don't move!" Miss Wednesday shouted. Zoro looked past Mr. 9 and saw her and her duck standing next to a still sleeping Luffy. "Make one false move, and your precious nakama here loses his life."

"Excellent plan, Miss Wednesday," Mr. 9 nine laughed. Now you can neither run away nor fight back!"

"That bastard could at least wake up when he's taken hostage," Zoro muttered to himself as he glanced at the sleeping captain.

"Prepare cannons!" Mr. 8 called out as he tugged on his bowtie. Gun barrels came out of the six rollers in Mr. 8's hair. "Cannons at the ready!"

"What!?" Zoro exclaimed.

Mr. 8 slipped his fingers into the loops of his bowtie and pulled. "**IGARAPPAPPA**!"

Zoro, thinking really quickly, grabbed the steel rope with his right hand, and with all his superhuman strength, swung Mr. 9, whose arm was also wrapped by the steel rope, and swung him to the oncoming fire.

Mr. 8 pulled the strings to fire the cannons, but the line of fire was interrupted by a surprised Mr. 9, who was pelted by the explosive bombs instead.

*BOOM*

Zoro turned and ran in the other direction and threw the chain and the Baroque Works Agent past him into Miss Wednesday and Carue. The three of them went flying backwards and smashed into the wall behind them.

Zoro was standing still as Mr. 8 looked down in shock, but readied his cannons again.

"**IGARAPPAPPA!**" Mr. 8 yelled, firing the cannons once more.

Zoro quickly evaded the oncoming fire, making the ground he once was standing on explode. Zoro grabbed his hand on the hilt of Wado Ichimonji.

Zoro ran to the fat form of Luffy, while saying out loud, "Sorry Luffy, going to need your stomach for a second!" He then jumped on Luffy's belly, hand ready to unsheathe one of his swords.

"What is he…?" Mr. 8 said to himself cautiously.

Zoro then dropped all of his weight on Luffy's stomach, using it like a trampoline, and with a mighty bounce, sprung himself upwards to Mr. 8, with his sword out, ready in hand.

_**SLAAASSHH!**_

"UUUHHH!" groaned Mr. 8 in agony as he fell backwards on the rooftop floor with slash wounds on his chest. Zoro smoothly landed on the roof as well.

"Alright, all done!" Zoro muttered. He looked around to see it was the same roof Miss Monday was on. He began to move the bodies off the roof as down below Luffy sat up and stared around in surprise, "Huh… why am I outside?" he wondered. "Oh well back to sleep." Luffy went back to sleep. The mechanical owl overlooked the street. Zoro pushed Miss Monday and Mr. 8 off the rooftop, letting them fall on more barrels and crates.

"There," Zoro said as he dusted his hands off.

"Nice job, despite the fact you can't cut steel yet. You did a good job handling it yourself, but maybe you should have woken up the rest of your crew first. They could have easily doubled back and killed the rest of your crew. I can see that as a reckless action or some pride." A voice called out to him. Zoro flicked his sword out of the sheath. He turned to see a black cloaked man that looked like a ninja with a strange visor.

"Who are you? Are you part of the baroque Works?" Zoro asked him.

"If I was a part of the Baroque Works I would have killed you with a gun shot from long range. Or slit your throat with ease when you had your back turned." Lightning explained. He held Zoro's bandana in hand.

Zoro looked down at his arm to see it was gone. He looked up to see he was gone. He saw his bandana flowed into the wind. He grabbed and looked around for the mysterious person. He tied it to his arm as he searched the night sky.

"Who the hell was that guy?" Zoro muttered. He pulled out a wine bottle from his waistband. "I wonder if that guy is our enemy."

Lightning sat down on a nearby building overlooking the battle field as he noticed two more people coming into the town.

"_It seems that Zoro's pride got him in the way of his real objective. Saving the crew was top priority and to wake them up from the oncoming threat. They could easily double back and killed them or held them hostage. Meaning the fight with Zoro would be slowed to a crawl. They could have a chance at killing him from the start of the fight." _Lightning thought.

He noticed Nami slipping through finally dropping off some goods on the boat. He noticed her trying to be stealthy to see what was going on now. She tailed the two new guests that walked along Whiskey Peak streets.

"_It looks like Nami doesn't know anything better as well. She focused on getting riches that didn't even amount to nothing. She doesn't even have fighting skills at all by first glance. It seems like she relies on the others to do her fighting for her. In my book a team is defined by the weakest link. I have to stop the assassins from killing Princess Vivi and then I get more details on what's going on. I think I might have a good picture on what's going on seeing my project in Alabasta is almost complete." _

…

Mr. 8 sluggishly lifted himself off the ground. '_No… there's no way I'm going to die here! I have a sworn duty to…'_

"Oh the shame. Beaten by a lone swordsman."

Mr. 8 turned his head to see two other individuals standing behind him.

One of them was a lightly tanned man who had a pair of white sunglasses with red lenses on and has wild black hair. The man was wearing a scarf and a red long jacket along with red pants and shoes. On the jacket were three white 5's on his left chest, his upper left sleeve, and a big 5 on the left bottom of it.

The other person was a woman wearing a yellow dress that had orange citrus patterns on it. She was wearing an orange dome like hat and had circled, orange citrus earrings. She was also wearing white high heels and had short blond hair.

"Mr. 5! Miss Valentine!" Mr. 8 exclaimed, startled.

"What are you doing, fooling around, huh?" The man named Mr. 5 coolly mocked.

"Kyahahahahaha! He can't help it! I mean, what do you expect from someone of his rank?" The woman named Miss Valentine laughed and also ridiculed.

Mr. 8 grunted irritably. "What are you two doing here? Did you just come here to laugh at us?" Mr. 8 said with frustration, as he drowsily stood up.

Mr. 5 smirked. "No, that's just a bonus."

Miss Valentine laughed her unusual laugh. "We're here on official business of course!"

At this moment, Mr. 9 and Miss Wednesday dragged themselves out of the wreckage. Mr. 9 tiredly spoke out, "Ah… well that's good. Surely with your help, we can beat him."

"Yeah," said an exhausted Miss Wednesday. "Hurry and finish that swordsman."

Mr. 5 just stared at the two. "You _must_ be _joking_." He sneered.

…

"Help you? You think we came all the way here on the Grand Line to do _your_ dirty work?" Miss Valentine laughed.

"What?" said a confused Mr. 9? "Then why are you here?"

"Don't you get it?" Mr. 5 replied. "Why would the boss send the two of us?"

"The boss's exact words were, 'My secret is out'. Of course, we don't know what the secret is," explained Miss Valentine.

"_It seems these are the assassins Miss All Sunday referred too. It seems coming down from my perch on the cliff side was a good idea after all. I have to remember to not show my powers to her otherwise she may tip someone's hand in the future. Key rule here is to never show one's hand before the cards are dealt." _Lightning thought.

"The spy… is someone who's gone missing in the kingdom of Alabasta," Mr. 5 informed with a smirk.

Then all of a sudden, Mr. 8 readied his hair cannons and fired at Mr. 5. "I WON'T LET YOU TOUCH HER! DIE! **IGARAPPAPPA!"**

The bombshells soared over at Mr. 5, exploding on impact.

"_IGARAM!_" Miss Wednesday cried out to… Mr. 8?

"Igaram?" Mr. 9 said baffled.

"It looks like the night is still young…" Lightning muttered. He watched the explosions going off lighting the night sky. He watched the scene play out even more before leaping into the situation. Without any doubt he will find his answers even if the people he was going to save was unwilling.


	6. Chapter 6

**Hello it's me again with a new chapter and I want to apologize to you all. I should have updated the chapter a bit earlier. But to make up for it I made it a big chapter consisting over a 10,000 words. I will go more into detail with the story after he catches up with the Straw-hats on the sea. This chapter is a set up to the OC's background and why Robin is talking to a bounty hunter. Sorry I am spoiling a bit of the chapter for you all, but I need to add bit of a history to him unlike the Straw-hats who already in detail. People wonder what did he do before the incident and afterwards. I will go over with time and explain more about him along with his powers. I hope you enjoy the new chapter and review. It will help out me out with my productivity levels. See you guys soon and hopefully I can get this new chapter out for you all.**

…

**Chapter 5**

**Hidden under the surface**

…

As the fire crackled and the scene unfolded in the alley way, Lightning watched with interest and suspense as the argument continued.

"RUN FOR IT PRINCESS, PLEASE!"

"Igaram!" shouted Miss Wednesday

Smoke covered the two people as something flew out of the smoke and collided with him. The explosion went off in the street shocking most of the occupants around. The smoke finally died down as Igaram fell on to the ground face forward. Mr. 5 emerged unharmed by the explosions as he held a photo in his hand.

"Igaram! IGARAM!" shouted Miss Wednesday.

"The name of the spy is Igaram, leader of the kingdom of Alabasta's royal guards. And the other spy..." Began an unharmed Mr. 5, emerging from the inferno, "...is none other than the Princess of Alabasta herself, Vivi Nefertari!"

Vivi was about to check on Igaram as she was interrupted.

"Don't bother!" Miss Valentine shouted. She dropped down straight towards Vivi with umbrella in hand. Miss Valentine delivered a blow to her head and broke her hair-piece releasing her ponytail.

Princess Vivi pressed her thumb against her chest to reveal a hidden ring. She slipped her pinky into the ring and swung a bladed jewel at the blonde agent. She missed as Miss Valentine floated up into the air then came down and landed next to Mr. 5.

"Monsters…" Vivi growled as she glared at the two Baroque Works Agents.

"So you are a princess, Miss Wednesday!" Mr. 9 asked as he dropped to his knees and bowed to his partner.

Vivi turned around angrily at him. "Stop being ridiculous, Mr. 9!" Vivi shouted at him.

"The night's getting dangerous! You guys can have fun! Later!" Zoro muttered as he ran through the alley and in between the princess and the two agents dragging his still sleeping captain with him.

Lightning stood up as he looked at the scene. He was almost ready to spring in now.

"_Well it looks like the princess of Alabasta has gotten into big trouble. She didn't even have the necessary skills to truly sneak into a criminal organization. She didn't even bother to change her outward appearance with any hair dyes or color contacts to change her eye color. They could have hired some mercenaries' to infiltrate the organization and play double agent for them," _Lightning _thought_.

His thoughts were cut short the moment an explosion rang, and he strained his neck to see the flying body of Mr. 9 soar through the air and crash down, a plume of smoke coming forth from him.

"Carue! Run!" she told her duck, riding on it to get away. The agents followed her by walking after her.

He noticed what Mr. 5 just used. "Did that man just throw a booger at him? It seems that Mr. 5 is a bomb man. He can produce create explosions from any part of his body. I don't know what the woman's power is still, but it seems like it has to do with her weight," said Lightning as he saw Igaram struggling to move. He looked to see Vivi and Carue running desperately.

"If that explosion and slash didn't kill that man, he can hold off until I save the princess." Lightning muttered. He took off jumping across roof tops to catch up to them.

…

Lightning finally jumped roof top to roof top as he looked around to see where Vivi and Carue were running around town. He looked around for a moment to see where the princess was. He pressed his visor as video came online from the bird.

"_I don't need my special powers or haki to track her down; she was clearly heading towards the shore to grab a boat." _Lightning thought

"Dot where is the princess at_?" _Lightning asked as he tapped the radio button on his helmet.

"_Maybe you should restrain your speed Hikari; you do realize you have super human traits. Even wearing weights or some type of restrictor you were always quite fast. She is approaching down the street." _Dot announced.

A sound of explosion gave away Mr. 5's position. 

"Carue this way, hurry!" He heard Vivi order her ride, as they ran off at a different direction. Lightning turned to the explosion man and saw that he disappeared.

"Kyahahaha! I thought someone was following us," came a voice from behind him. He turned to see Valentine smirking at him. "You want to play spy? You have to do better," she said, going for a kick. He blocked it with his arm with ease.

"I had no intention of hiding around… but you seem really light." Lightning muttered.

"Oh? And so what if I am?"

He quickly grasped her leg as he pulled straight down slamming in the roof making her scream. He quickly spun around and threw her off into another building. She was like some piece of paper in mid-air. He saw her collide against a water tower as he resumed following Vivi and Carue.

Carue kept running and went to run around a corner, but Princess Vivi was surprised when Ms. Monday stepped out from the around the corner and stood in front of them. "Miss. Monday!" Princess Vivi exclaimed.

"Go, once you get past here you can get to the ship." Miss. Monday instructed as she pointed over her shoulder. She still looked beaten up from her encounter with Zoro. "I'll stop them here."

"But?" Princess Vivi asked.

"For losing to that superhuman swordsman we'll be punished for failing our mission no matter what," Miss. Monday explained as she picked up a log that was as tall as she was and was about as thick as one of her extremely muscular legs. "So, I'll gladly suffer to be a shield for a friend."

Princess Vivi stared at Miss. Monday in surprise and tried to fight back tears at the thought of another of the Baroque Works Agents that she'd worked with sacrificing herself so she could escape.

"Well, what are you waiting for?" Miss. Monday demanded. "If you are caught, Mr. 8 and Mr. 9 sacrifices' will be in vain! GO!"

"Thank you," Princess Vivi sobbed as she and Carue hurried off.

"First Mr. 9, and now you, Miss Monday," Mr. 5 commented as he walked over to Miss. Monday and pulled up one of the long sleeves of his trench coat, exposing his bare arm.

"You'll go no further upon my pride!" Miss. Monday declared.

Mr. 5 as he ran towards Miss. Monday who swung the massive log around like a bow-staff. Miss. Monday shot the end of the log out at Mr. 5, but Mr. 5 dodged to the side then lashed out his exposed arm, "...To the name of the Baroque Works! You are a disgrace!" Mr. 5's arm exploded as it connected with Miss. Monday and sent her crashing to the ground in the middle of a heated explosion.

"Miss. Monday…" Princess Vivi gasped, as she watched another one of her friends fall from in front of a rocky pass on the outside of town.

"I can make any part of my body explode. I'm a bomb man, using the ability of the Bomu-Bomu no mi, I have never failed to complete a mission," Five explained.

"Kyahahaha!" Vivi looked up to the source of a familiar laughing sound and saw Miss Valentine. "With my Kilo-Kilo no mi power, that traitor Miss Monday shall now be crushed into the ground. I can freely change my weight at will. Right now I'm light enough to float with the wind. Now watch as I get heavier."

Vivi watched in despair as she saw her plummeting to the ground.

"**Phase Shift**…" She crashed into the ground making a crater as dust flied up into the air.

"Kyahahaha," Miss. Valentine cackled as she stood up next to Mr. 5, she was completely unharmed. "Do you really still think you can escape from us?"

They looked shock to see a person standing there holding Miss Monday on his shoulders. Vivi and Carue looked at the cloaked man as well.

"What lame abilities, devil fruit users relying on their devil fruit powers to solve their problems…" Lightning muttered. He placed Miss Monday on the ground. "I was starting to feel ignored and you forgot I was still here."

The two agents looked down at the crater to see nothing was there. They looked back up at him.

"You're-!" Valentine spoke. "When did-?! How did-?!"

"Hmm? It seems we have another rat to exterminate," Five spoke.

He pulled Senjou no datta of his back as the blade shimmered in the moon light. He swung creating a high pressurized wind blade towards the bewildered Mrs. Valentine and a shocked Mr. 5. The wind blade slammed into them as it sent them colliding into the nearest wall as Zoro came round the corner.

"Huh? Did I miss the fight? Why is there a ninja here? Does he want to fight?" He asked with a hint of disappointment, for all he saw was a stoic glare come from Lightning at the nearby wreckage where Mr. 5 and Ms. Valentine were currently buried under. He quickly planted his sword in the ground as his invisible mirror moved around his front ready to deflect any new oncoming blows. Vivi and Carue looked in shock at the strange people.

""W-why did you help us?" Vivi panted breathlessly.

"I came simply because I saw a maiden in trouble nothing more… besides I was watching what was going from the very beginning." Lightning explained.

Zoro looked at him skeptically. _"A ninja trying to do the right thing… unheard of, but it seems like the Grand Line is full of surprises. I need to be weary of this guy." _Zoro thought.

"Who are you ninja and why are you here?" Zoro asked him.

"I already told you my reason Roronoa Zoro; maybe you should state why you're here?" Lightning asked him.

"Let's just say that we made an agreement with that royal guard guy." Zoro paraphrased simply, drawing his swords as both Miss. Valentine and Mr.5 began to emerge. Lightning quickly hit them with a flying slash attack once more, and this part of the building collapsed on them.

"Hey! Some of us want to fight here too!" He yelled at Lightning denying his chance.

"I believed you already went through a big fight already with a hundred people, let alone your reason for being here is not noble enough. You are already giving off some bad vibes already." Lightning explained.

"Bad vibes, you're a damn ninja trying to save people or spy on them. Are you here to kill us?" Zoro asked him.

"If I was here to kill you, you all wouldn't be here talking to me." Lightning explained.

Vivi and Carue looked at the scene between the two. A bit shocked they were ignoring the situation at hand.

"If you wanted to fight so badly you should have intervened from the very beginning when they came. You have no real reason to be here at all unless you want something from the princess." Lightning reasoned as Zoro grunted in anger.

"The hell I could? That thief wouldn't leave me alone until I paid her debt!" He yelled back, also not wanting to get into yet another argument with him.

"Meaning your trying to extort the princess, so I was-" Lightning began, only to be interrupted by a sudden yet minor explosion behind him, dusted wind and heat slamming into her backside. "It seems they still want to fight?" He whispered staring at the wreckage, an unscathed Mr. 5 along with a bruised, burned and coughing Miss. Valentine emerged, freed from the rubble. Zoro quickly re-drew his swords while Lightning grabbed his sword slinging it over his shoulder.

"Let's save this until after these people are gone…" Zoro asked him.

"Very well until the threat is neutralized…" Lighting agreed.

"That was an interesting trick you pulled, ninja guy. However, it wasn't enough for my Bomu-Bomu no mi." explained Mr. 5. "I don't know how skilled you are, but all who stand in the way of our organization die." Here he removed and flicked another booger, this time aimed towards the Lightning, only for Zoro to have stepped in and manage to deflect the mucus with his sword.

"Boogers, of all things, he makes me cut boogers." He grumbled as he inspected his sword for any lingering trace of the dirt.

"You do realize I don't need your help." Lightning reminded him. The ground trembled under his feet as tingles of electricity sparked from his suit. It went mostly unnoticed by the people around them in the area. The mirror hovered back behind his back.

Vivi and Carue, having no place to run and not seeing a reason to now with formidable allies aiding her, took their time to wonder over what agreement these pirates could have struck with Igaram, and where the guard himself was. She was wondering why this other person would risk their live for complete strangers.

It was a 2-on-2 fight bordering on 2-on-1 what with Miss. Valentine's current condition. Zoro readied his swords, Lightning sat there as he placed one hand on his hip where his pouch was located, Mr. 5 reached into his nose again whilst Miss. Valentine tried to stand straight and ignore the painful burns along with the cuts. They were each about to make their move when a new, shrill voice interrupted the battle.

"**Zoooroooh!**" It yelled from down the street, belonging to none other than a still-fat Luffy, who had appeared to come to his senses at last. Lightning sat there thinking Luffy might help.

"**I won't forgive you this time! Let's fight!**" He yelled, and both fighters gaped.

"_What… didn't he understand the situation at hand?"_ Lightning thought.

"What the hell are you talking about?" Zoro roared back.

"**Shut it! I'll smash the ungrateful like you into the earth**!"Luffy retaliated, and although he was dead serious.

"Ungrateful?" Zoro repeated, thoroughly confused at the sudden accusation.

"**That's right! They give us a good welcome and good food, and this is how you repay them**!" He announces to the audience before him.

"Is this guy a moron?" Vivi muttered.

"Apparently so…" Lightning muttered.

The two watched the scene of the two nakama arguing.

"Listen Luffy, these people are actually-" He began as calmly as he was capable of, but was rudely-and rather, painfully- interrupted by a charging Luffy, who even with a bloated stomach was capable of attaining great speed.

"**I don't want your excuses**!" He snarled, sending a rubber fist hurtling towards him and ending up punching a stone wall behind Zoro as Zoro ducked out of the way, leaving his post near Lightning and also leaving him wondering just why he wasn't currently under attack by Luffy as well- then again, Zoro did the bounty hunters in this town.

"You shouldn't turn you back on the enemy, girl." Mr. 5 warned as the pair, in all this confusion, closed in on the princess and the warrior. He pulled back his fist in an attempt to explode Lightning's face, as the mirror reflexively repositioned itself in front of the fist. A shimmering white light appeared bouncing the fist away. The effect of the explosive power was negated as Lightning flicked his sword around. He sliced Mr. 5 with ease as he screamed out in pain. Lightning quickly spun around slamming his sword into the ground. He quickly switched his hands as did a roundhouse kick; he slammed his foot into Mr. 5 as it sent him tumbling towards Miss Valentine.

"I didn't drop my guard, I baited you to get closer to me," Lightning easily explained.

Vivi looked quite shock at the display. "Mr.5 devil fruit power was stopped, who is this guy? He is beating around an officer agent of the Baroque Works." Vivi muttered in shock.

"_I forgot having this mirror with me… it seems to act like some shield and it stores energy. It takes away my energy even more than using earth and fire powers. I could have easily dodged, but I am guarding the princess. I can't afford to move from my spot, but I almost got caught up watching their fight." _Lightning thought.

Miss Valentine was already floating by means of her open umbrella overhead, using her bird's eye view to find the best way to drop on Lightning. Zoro and Luffy still engaged in a brawl a little way off, Lightning flicked his blade from the blood as he stood still for her. Miss. Valentine to fall right on target, with the intent of crushing him. "Ha-ha-ha -cough-! So long, ninja! You won't escape my -cough- Kilo-Kilo fruit!" She wheezed, manipulating her weight and dropping like an anvil.

Lightning waved one finger as she was dropping. A rifle sound deafened the air as Miss Valentine screamed in pain. Lightning easily stepped to the side out the way, Lightning mused as the agent crashed through the concrete instead of onto him, having no way of changing direction once she fell. He looked into the hole to see she was unconscious. He shook his head in disappointment.

"This fight sucks…" Lightning muttered shocking Vivi. "I was hoping for a challenge, but you are fools who rely so heavily in their devil fruit to fight. Hell you're not even using them right. A bomb man that uses only boogers to attack people is quite stupid. Miss. Valentine who jumps into high into the air making her an easy target to shoot with range projectiles'. Maybe I should stop playing around and end this quickly." Lightning explained.

As explosion went off as he saw Mr. 5 standing and wheezing now. "Playing around… we cannot fail the…" He muttered. He saw him lifting his sword up. He thrusted his sword as pressurized wind slammed into him sending him flying back into the building. He saw a hole was now in the wall as he walked up to the building calmly. He attached his sword to his back where the magnetic clamps held it. He wanted to make sure he was done. He walked into the building to see Mr. 5 was unconscious now. He walked up pulling a vial out from his pouch. He quickly drained his blood. He soon checked his body for information and money.

He pulled out a photo of Vivi along with pieces of paper. He found 250,000 beri in his coat pocket. He placed it in his pouch as he walked back out to see Vivi waiting with Carue.

"Who is this man? He beat them soundly and he didn't bother trying…" Vivi muttered.

She noticed the two pirates still fighting themselves still as Lightning avoided them. He walked up to the crater where Miss Valentine was. He quickly drained her blood as well as he checked her body for anything. He found nothing as he walked towards Vivi; he placed his vial in his pouch. A mechanical bird flew above him as it dropped a rifle that looked compacted. He placed it on the middle of his back. He looked up at Vivi who seemed a bit shocked.

"Why did you save me and Miss Monday?" Vivi asked him.

Lightning shrugged to himself. "I just felt like it after seeing you struggling to escape, I watched the whole incident from the ridge before coming down here." He casually explained. He reached up tenderly and turned the side of her face to see some scraps. She blushed a bit as he pulled out a medical kit. "Hold still so I can mend your wounds."

The duck sat down helping him get a better angle to clean up her face. "What about the other two pirates that are fighting each other. They seem to be nakama?" Vivi asked him.

"One thing at a time princess, I will stop them after I clean you up. By the way are you hurt duck?" Lightning asked him

The duck shook his head as he quacked; it was a no as he quickly nodded. He finally finished cleaning up her face and minor wounds, he placed his kit up. "It looks like we are done here… if you wanted to go undercover. You should have hired mercenaries with no face or name to join. Or at least dye your eyes and wear color contacts to change your eye color." Lightning advised.

Lightning looked over to vicious brawl with Zoro and Luffy. Luffy's fist appeared, slamming into Zoro's defensive sword stance and sending him skidding across the hard earth. Zoro delivered a well-aimed slash that Luffy's head barely avoided but still managed to cut his shoulder. Luffy responded with a similarly aimed kick, which met Zoro's ready sword in a fast-paced impact that generated a small shockwave.

The two bounced back as the reared back for another blow.

"We are going to finish this fight with no regrets!" Zoro shouted.

"Fine with me," Luffy agreed.

Luffy flexed his muscles clenching his fist as Zoro gripped his swords tighter.

The two charged at each other as Nami casually walked between the two. In one fell swoop, her two fists formed and hit both Luffy and Zoro square in their cheeks.

"You idiots!"She roared, sending a second hit flying and pummeling them both into the ground. "You're stupid fight almost hurt the Princess! We could have lost one billion Beri!" She snarled, standing over their beaten selves with her hands on her hips.

She turned to see Lightning standing in front of Vivi and Carue. "Where did this samurai come from?" Nami muttered. "Where are the officer agents that were chasing her?"

"Did she call you a samurai? Shouldn't you be a ninja?" Vivi muttered.

"I can be whatever I want to be, but I preferred to be called a warrior. I switch approaches on certain battles and events." Lightning explained.

Luffy and Zoro pulled themselves out of their holes, and, upon sighting one another, immediately resumed their dog fight. With another groan from Nami, they each found themselves lying on the ground with a total of three painful bumps on their scalps, deciding not to start their feud again while she was around.

"Now then, Ms. Princess, we'd like to have a word with you." Nami said to Vivi, who had appeared on Carue from behind some buildings just as Nami delivered the final blow to her friends.

"I don't think so…" Lightning interrupted her.

"Why's that and who are you?" Nami asked him.

"I'm the one who can actually beat you all down if need be. But if there is one thing I hate is the fact you using people as tools for your dirty work. Trying to scam a princess for a 1 billion beri is outrageous demand." Lightning complained.

"So you want a reward for saving her, that's all?" Nami noted.

"No, I did it because it was right. This attitude and complacency will get you killed along with your crewmates. Looting the town and forgetting to wake up your crew members. They could easily kill your crewmates and Vivi here had Luffy at knife point. You never think about the long term affects choices do. Hell you didn't even bother to wake the other two up before deciding such a thing." Lightning complained.

"Do I know you?" Nami asked him.

"Of course we met, back on Lost Island with Apis. Princess Vivi does not have the official capacity to make such a deal especially if she didn't go through age of coming ceremony. If you haven't read the newspaper you can tell that Alabasta is in a Civil War. Only a few things would go out at the time like a weapons bill. At best you would get 300 million beri, but you should think back to the consequences of carrying a person around. Baroque Works will send people to kill you and your crew." Lightning advised walking off into town.

"He is such a buzz kill… I knew this guy said he like to donate money to others. He passed up a chance to gain money." Nami muttered.

"I am not a mercenary dog who sells out my soul for money. There are things that money can't buy in this world. Lives, happiness, and memories; its best you don't take her offer princess. If she isn't ready to lift a finger for herself you will only find hardship. I will be trying to gather up some supplies and get rid of the bodies." Lightning informed them.

Nami sat there a bit quiet reflecting on his words as she looked towards Vivi. "At least here what I have to offer before going off. I know that guy must be strong like these idiots, but he has his act together." Nami offered.

"He is only doing because he cares… there are not a lot of men left in the world who do the right thing." Vivi reminded him.

…

Lightning walked down the street as he was making sure to checking the bodies for any loot. He was making sure to separate all the loot he had into piles. A majority of the bodies were stuck together giving him a bit easier time to clean up the area. He was setting several things into a cart to drag along as he made sure to sit Mr. 9 and Miss Monday to the side. They were still unconscious from being hit with Mr. 5's bombs. The rookie pirates were stationed in another part of town though they were unconscious from Nami's blows to their head. He heard soft footsteps come up from behind him. He turned grasping his sword on his back.

"You would be wise to give your presence before sneaking up on people." Lightning turned to face the man. He had a slash wound on his chest still, but it was patched up. He saw Igaram wearing clothes that looked like Vivi as he wore make up as well. He was speechless for a moment as he shook his head. "Why are you dressed up like that?"

"_Ahem_-mi mi miiii! I like to thank you for saving the princess's life and putting your life on the line. I have a plan to throw them all off the trail by being a decoy." Igaram explained. He noticed four dummies that resembled the look of the three pirates to a degree. The last one had a black cloak and mask to match his description.

"What does this has to do with me then?" Lightning asked him.

"Once the Baroque Works learns what happened here today they will surely hunt everyone down here, especially the person who defeated the Mr. 5 pairing single handily." Igaram informed him.

Lightning chuckled catching the man off guard. "That is why I wear a mask and hood to cover my facial identities. Who would believe a SIGINT Ninja running around saving princess's or random strangers? At best they will be chasing a ghost like me around giving you more of a window. Besides that these people are just thugs pretending to be assassins, I can hardly see why they are a threat." Lightning explained.

"I want to ask you of a favor then or a job at least." Igaram offered.

"You can propose it, but it doesn't mean I will accept it." Lightning explained.

"There is no doubt that you are skilled in battle, but it seems you're quite knowledgeable about the Grand Line as well. I would like you to help protect the princess along with the pirates while delivering her to Alabasta." Igaram asked him.

"I would, but I already have a full plate on my hands. I already got a job lined up with a client about something else and a matter in a certain country. I have project running there and it's on the verge of being finished right now." Lightning explained.

"So you are scientist, why are you fighting then? Shouldn't you be in a lab somewhere?" Igaram asked him.

"Well, I have a mobile lab and freelance solving other people's problems using my talents. I never take money until the job is completely finished. Earning money by bounty hunting in between seemed like a good way to pay for my projects with ease. I can do some good at the same time by taking in people who endangered others. It seemed quite profitable as well seeing you can take their treasure as well along with their possessions." Lightning explained.

Igaram thought a moment and looked intrigued at him. "I think I met you before…" Igaram muttered.

"I got everything I needed out of town now. I need to get going now." Lightning muttered dragging a cart filled with stuff.

"Your name is Hikari aren't you? The kid apprentice serving under Vegapunk years back." Igaram asked him.

Lightning walked off carrying the cart with him. "Vivi told me your name after we linked up with together. The most distinct thing I know about is the fact you were a bounty hunting collecting bounties in the form to get research money and materials. It is you Hikari, am I right." Igaram asked him as silence soon fell afterwards. Lightning sighed as he lifted up his visor to show his blue eyes. Igaram looked at him for a moment. "I can clearly tell it's you now, but why turn down the request to help the princess."

"Simple, I hate escort missions and jobs. On top of that the situation is now out of control. Vivi acts too much like her father and no doubt she has poor planning skills. She will no doubt try to stop something by using peace and I am not up for that." Lightning explained as he dropped his visor.

"So you know already?" Igaram asked him.

"A pirate with a well known status moves into the country around the same time the dance powder incident. It's not hard to notice it was foul play was involved seeing the people who delivered the Dance Powder were never caught in question. People with no names and acting like criminals running around the sea and the Alabasta region. I figured it out the moment I came back to the country a little over two years ago. The facility in Erumalu was destroyed by unknown assailants'." Lightning explained.

Igaram's eyes opened in shock. "Those fiends attacked the facility it was the only place that could serve water to the country. Without it they cannot grow crops and raise cattle properly to help alleviate the country." Igaram muttered.

"Don't worry, I have combat and repair robots on scene to stop this from happening again. I like to leave spare supplies to fix the facility. When I got there to make sure everything is working, Chaka and Pell showed up asking me to have audience with Cobra. Suffice to say, asking me to help make Alabasta rain again. The project will be complete soon due to my robots finishing up most the ground work. I am also running preliminary checks still to make sure the system produces good results." Lightning explained.

"On top of that you pretty much want to hurry up and finish the project." Igaram asked him.

Lightning shrugged. "Pretty much… and the fact I don't want to deal with it." Lightning muttered.

Igaram shook his head and sighed. _"Hikari has a temperament to respect people using their intelligence in many ways. He clearly likes and favors Queen Titi and he went out his way to drastically change the city of Erumalu. I have no doubt he thinks Vivi's reasons and actions no doubt left a good impression on him. Unless he knows the goal is to stop the Rebel Army in Vivi's perspective." _Igaram thought.

"Let me guess, it's not about the reason is bad, it's more about Vivi and Rebel Army."

Lightning sat there crossing his arms. "Of course, you two hurt quite a number of innocent people infiltrating a criminal organization. On top of that the reason of saving people who pillage, destroy, suck up resources, and cause unnecessary war is not savable in my eyes. Those who live by the sword die by the sword." Lightning explained.

"Don't tell me they attacked the facility for water and supplies." Igaram muttered.

"Of course, they blatantly did so hoping to gain the advance weapons my robots use to help turn the tide in the war of Alabasta. They even had the balls to try to take over the facility as well and try to make Erumalu as one of their bases." Lightning explained. "In my book I don't consider them worthy of being saved or given mercy upon. That was meant for the people of Alabasta and it was never owned by the king. It was one of my greatest works and a joy to work on in my youth."

"I see then… but you should not fault them with trying…" Igaram told him, he saw the ground around Lightning trembled.

"Don't give me that shit about them saving their country using violence or they were tricked to do this. I will not forgive them for what they done along with the Baroque Works boss. They were plenty of ways to solve the answer on both sides without violence. In truth I didn't like the request you offered due to that." Lightning muttered in anger.

Igaram nodded. "Very well… I understand then and you don't have to agree with Vivi's plan. I would feel reassured if you went along with her and the pirates. They would need all the help they need making it across the Log Pose route towards Alabasta." Igaram explained. "I am running decoy and if anything happens to me. At least I know she will be in good hands." Igaram explained.

"Fine, before I go I need to make sure something's are in order. I have to be sure to tell my clients my schedule has changed due to an emergency. Then I will try to link up with them at sea going towards the next island." Lightning explained.

"You have my thanks Hikari. Be ready to take off at a moment's notice." Igaram explained.

Lighting watched Igaram walked off as he picked up his bags filled with loot. He heard a radio going off in his suit now. _"Lightning, aren't you going to report back to her with your success? You still haven't received the mission details yet for your next job." _Dot informed him.

"Dot, soon as I am done here I will go meet her." Lightning explained as he headed for the straw-hats boat. As he walked up to the ship he saw the finishing adjustments being done by his clone. He noticed the newly and properly repaired mast and figurehead. Several clones dissipated and turn into water going back into the river. A clone stood in front of him now.

"Are there repairs done with their ship?" Lightning asked the clone.

"Yeah it's done, but the mast looked liked it was ripped off by some idiot. The figurehead is also fixed as well. The helm needed proper adjustment as well seeing it was replaced as well. But what bugs me is why we are fixing their boat." The clone asked.

"Simple they are most likely going to get caught up in this anyway. Besides seeing a boat repaired like that is a travesty." Lightning explained. The clone dispersed as he made his way towards the north shore. He quickly saw the group together walking his way. He stopped for a moment as quickly noticed Luffy's face beaming.

"Hey it's a ninja!" Luffy shouted running up to him.

"What is this guy doing here?" Zoro asked Igaram.

"Hikari, what are you doing here?" Nami asked him as the two turned to look at her.

"Hikari, who is that Nami," Zoro and Luffy asked her. She face palmed and shook her head. She pointed at Lightning who sat there as Luffy admired his suit and weapons.

"He is the guy that helped us back on Lost Island Luffy, Zoro. It seems he is actually wearing his equipment now to fight with." Nami explained.

"Oh, he is the super cool guy with earth powers. I wonder what cool things you are still hiding!" Luffy shouted.

"Igaram, why is here? He doesn't want to be hunted by the Baroque Works just like us." Vivi asked him.

"Hikari knows all the risks and he has been to Alabasta before Vivi." Igaram explained as Lightning sat his bags on the ground for a moment. "He has been by knighted by your mother years ago in his service for renovating and making Erumalu a technological city in Alabasta. He also defeated the pirates who attacked our ports and bandits attacking cities years ago during his stay." Igaram explained.

"Knighted?" the straw-hats asked.

"I never heard of him before Igaram…" Vivi asked a bit confused.

"You were only three years old when he was knighted, he even has document stating it onboard his ship. I have no doubt you still have the Tessen (War fan) and sash as well still Hikari." Igaram asked him.

"I had to get them updated to fit them and my size. Yes, but they are currently aboard my ship." Lightning explained.

"I asked him to help make sure you get to Alabasta safely on a favor Princess Vivi. I wouldn't ask too much about him or demand things that compromise who he is. He has his own approaches to certain things and no doubt would disagree with you. He was extremely fond of your mother and he respected her." Igaram explained.

"What type of knight is that? Isn't suppose to obey orders?" Nami shouted.

"I'm not some dog you can control on every beck and call. I still have my ambitions' and methods to things." Lightning informed them. "The fact I don't see anything to respect with Vivi and her decisions. Respect is earned not given and I am not motivated to do things that irrational. Besides the fact I never heard of a real plan to stop the Baroque Works. If you have proof you best have it on hand right?" Lightning asked him.

"Proof..." Luffy muttered.

"I will explain this later, but know I repaired your ship. It looked like a mess and the mast could fall over at any time since it was repaired improperly." Lightning explained.

Luffy smiled. "Thanks um… ninja guy!" Luffy shouted.

"You can call me Hikari you do realize that?" Lightning asked him.

"It seems we have another tag along, but someone actually helpful for once. Do you have a boat to sail in?" Zoro asked Lightning.

"My boat can convert to a submarine on a moment's notice and it can follow me without me guiding it. I will help you along the way until the end of Alabasta no longer." Lightning informed them.

Igaram shook his head and looked at him. "Think as Hikari as a guest for now. He has his own goals and agendas. He will not take orders from you anytime soon unless he helps you voluntarily. And he no doubt leaves as he pleases to complete his own tasks. Though he as several skills on hand to help benefit and help make the journey to Alabasta. You should listen to him about certain facts along the way. It will no doubt save you a lot of trouble ahead." Igaram explained.

"Good way of explaining Igaram." Lightning complimented him. "I can cloth and feed myself at any given time so I won't drain your resources. But I can help out once in a while…" Lightning muttered.

Luffy smiled. "This guy is funny and weird." Luffy giggled.

"Like you have any right saying that to me… besides that maybe you should go get your nakama first. If we need to leave in a hurry so need to run into town to go get him." Lightning advised.

"Those two idiots… they will be alright. A little sleep cannot hurt them." Zoro muttered.

"If the island was attacked you would say otherwise." Lightning muttered.

"Now we have another tag along on our boat…" Nami muttered.

"Now we have a ninja guy scientist joining our crew." Luffy smiled.

Lightning shook his head wondering how his father can be so different.

…

"Please take care of the Princess." Igaram said as he was about to board on his ship.

"Sure thing, Mister!" Luffy said.

"I will make sure they at least all get there to Alabasta Igaram." Lightning said.

They were all out on the Whiskey Peak shore where Igaram docked his ship. He looked at Vivi one more time with a warm smile and said, "My Princess, it will be a difficult journey. But I know you will be strong. Please be careful."

Vivi nodded with warm smile herself. "You too, Igaram."

"We shall meet again." Igaram said and gave her one last smile until he boarded onto his ship, with the four dummies in it as well. He sailed off into the distance, the ship dotting off.

Lightning sat there stoically as he watched the departing. The goal now was to help deliver the princess and make sure the group he was protecting doesn't kill themselves.

Luffy laughed. "Well, he's gone. He was laughing until the very end."

"He was a weird guy." Zoro smirked.

"He may not look it, but he's very reliable." Vivi said.

"Igaram was a dutiful man from the beginning, but something doesn't just feel right…" Lightning muttered as he watched the boat sail further away.

_**BOOOOOOOOOM!**_

Everyone froze…and looked in shock at the sudden inferno in the distance where Igaram's ship used to be…

Lightning stabbed his sword to the ground, eyes widened in horror. Nami's eyes widen in the same expression. Luffy and Zoro gazed on at the flames.

"It…it can't be! They already got to him!" Nami exclaimed in shock.

"HEY! THAT'S NOT FAIR! I LIKED THAT GUY!" Luffy exclaimed angrily.

"Nami's how the log," Zoro asked her.

"It's okay, it's already!" She shouted.

Lightning threw his bags down to the ground. "I am going to go get him!" Lightning shouted.

"Are you insane? He was blown up into…" Nami stopped looking at Vivi sitting there.

"Whether not he is dead or alive, you don't say until you confirm some type of proof. He could drown still…" Lightning explained as he turned back to the ocean. "Get going I will catch up soon."

Lightning jumped into the water to swim out into the sea.

"Grab her! Get back to the ship soon as possible!" Zoro shouted. He ran off towards after Luffy.

"VIVI HURRY," Nami shouted as she ran over to Princess Vivi and put her hand on her shoulder. "Hurry, if they see us here, everything will be in vain, right!"

She saw how Vivi was standing rigid, shaking, and biting her bottom lip so hard that a trickle of blood came trailing down. She soon embraced her in a hug. "It'll be all alright! We'll get you home! See these guys? They might not look like much, but they saved all of East Blue! Just the four of them! Baroque Works? Ha! the Seven Warlords of the Sea doesn't stand a chance!"

…

Out off the coast, a mysterious figure floated through the smoke and flaming residue of the explosion that had blown up Igaram and his decoy boat. **"A decoy?" **questioned Miss All Sunday. She held her face up with one of her arms and seemed almost bored as she floated through the wreckage. Luffy's dummy bobbed passed. **"That's **_**almost**_** cute."**

She went sailing towards the other side of the island on a giant turtle. She missed a person carrying Igaram through the water. He was swimming back to the shore. Lightning looked towards the west to see a ship in the distance.

"Shit, it seems some is coming after us… your wounds are quite bad." Lightning muttered. He swam back to the shore line. He saw two familiar sights standing there in a fear.

"It seems like the came to destroy everyone in town including us… eh Miss Monday." Mr. 9 asked her.

"What are you two doing up so quickly?" Lightning asked them.

"We came to see if Mr. 8 and Miss Wednesday were okay. But it seems like we are the one that owes you for saving our lives." Miss Monday explained to him. "Give him here so we can treat him? Surely you have the strength to beat the millions that are coming to Whiskey Peak."

Lightning handed Igaram over to the two as he got out the water. "Very well take him to somewhere safe until I get rid of these guys." Lightning explained to them.

"It would be best if you leave after you clean these guys up. We will take care of him until he is able to move." Mr. 9 advised.

"I'm a certified doctor unlike you two. I need to make sure he lives." Lightning explain to them. He picked up his sword and attached it to his back. He picked up his sniper rifle as it unfolded it.

"Then we will give our word to you he will make it then!" Mr. 9 shouted as Lightning turned back to the ocean.

"Very well… make sure he lives. Take this with you then." Lightning pulled a small medical kit and tossed it to them. "I will leave after I clean these guys up, but you need to get out of sight."

"We will take good care of him for you. Just don't die or over work yourself." Miss Monday reminded him.

"Bye-Bye baby, Mr. 8 will see you again!" Mr. 9 shouted as the two ran off carrying him around some rocks to hide. Explosions rocked the area behind Lightning. He raised sniper rifle off as he looked at the ship at the distance. The scope on the rifle peered through the darkness as he scouted out the boat. He easily noticed a hundred people were riding the boat. The rifle crackled through the area like thunder. The lookout in the crow's nest went down.

The people on boat scrambled in fear as they looked for enemy. Three more rounds pierced the area as it pierced through rows of people. "It seems that I will have to get through this until the morning." Lightning muttered as reloaded his rifle.

He saw the cannons were firing through the air towards the island now. He watched the cannonballs landed short. He fired several rounds at the main cannon blowing it out. He soon saw an explosion rippled throughout the boat. He finally folded his rifle now as he saw the boat coming closer to the island. "A bunch of ants without any structure, I don't even have to use my ability to beat them. But for prosperity sake, I might as well use so I can be on my way." Lightning muttered.

He saw the boat was getting closer to the shore now as he saw people were arming themselves. He took up a stance now.

"Look it's just one man! He doesn't even a bit strong without his rifle!" One man shouted.

"Fire on this idiot for messing with the Baroque Works!" another shouted.

Lightning raised his hands and a quick twist from his body, he created a large water whip. All of the eyes of the bounty hunters and agents bugled out of their sockets, along with their jaws dropping as they marveled at Lightning's power.

"This… this guy is a devil fruit user!"

Lightning, with a swift swat of his arm, sent the water whip onto the Baroque Works Agents, knocking them out their place. Some of the water hovered into the air. It soon formed around groups of them as they soon formed into needles of water.

"Fire!" Lightning shouted as barrage of water needles rain down on them. He soon jumped up into the air and onto the boat now. He pulled out his sword swinging it as he running by cutting them down. Several of them pointing their guns in fear, as Lightning side stepped and rolled out the way. He swung his sword creating an air pressurized strike cutting them down. He looked to his side to see a few coming his way. He swiped his hand through the wind as some flew into the air.

On the nearby shore as the fight was going on. Mr. 9 peered over the rocks. Miss Monday was finally done patching up his wounds. "I'm done; I finally patched up his wounds and made sure to place burn cream over his burns. He will make it to see another sunrise." Miss Monday muttered.

"I can't believe this…" Mr. 9 muttered in shock. Miss Monday looked up at him with some worry.

"Who is winning the battle?" She asked him.

"The masked guy is decimating them with ease, hell he is almost done wiping them up!" He shouted.

"Is he really that strong?" Miss Monday muttered.

"He even has a devil fruit to back up his regular skills as well. If he fought us back in the town…" Mr. 9 muttered as he watched Lightning ripped past the last with his sword. He looked around for a moment as he noticed Mr. 9.

"I'm all done here… I need to pull my boat around to pick up the supplies in this boat." Lightning explained as he jumped off the boat. He quickly cleaned his sword as he walked up to rocks where they were positioned. He checked him over for a moment as he nodded his head in satisfactory. "He will make it after all… thank you for patching him up for me. The last thing I want to tell his wife that we did nothing to help him."

"Well we do owe you for saving our lives, but aren't you supposed to catch up to them." Miss Monday asked him.

"My boat has a paddlewheel function meaning I can outpace them in time. I know we are taking the log pose to the next island. I didn't get any supplies worthwhile here at Whiskey Peak. Apparently this group here had much more luck than you getting pirates. Though I told them to leave I hope the enemy didn't catch up to them." Lightning muttered.

He saw his boat pulled around as he looked back at the town which was in ruins. He looked down at the two agents and Igaram. "Are you guys in need of food? I am already stocked for a couple of months." Lightning asked them.

"Well the town is almost in rubble and getting food here will take weeks…" Mr. 9 muttered.

"Then take the food and weapons aboard, but the treasure is mine." Lightning told them.

Mr. 9 and Miss Monday nodded as they got up walking to the boat. Lightning followed them as he looked at the sea.

"_I sensed that Nico Robin was here… it seems like the job I asked for is already falling through. It seems to me she was playing me from the start. She must have known I was already working with the Alabasta Kingdom somehow. Then she must have tracked me going to Drum Island and she asked for people who knew me. Luckily Kureha knows how to keep a secret, but to see that information is leaking out of the castle in Alubarna is dangerous. I am managing the project using my funds and local support. Meaning that Cobra knows nothing until I say something about it. I need to consult with Dot on the project at hand." _Lightning thought.

It took a good hour for Lightning to get them situated as Igaram was left in good care. He finally set foot on his boat as a huge treasure chest sat aboard his deck. He saw Miss Monday and Mr. 9 standing there on the shore now.

"Are you really going to leave Igaram behind?" Miss Monday asked him.

"I am one man after all and brining him along may blow his cover. Remember he is a dead man to Baroque Works and you two along with it. They will no doubt chase me, Vivi, and Straw-hats to silence what has been heard lately. He can still follow the Log Pose and make it to Alabasta safely. I need to catch up with them before they run into unnecessary dangers." Lightning informed them. "Please tell Igaram when he wakes up I will see him in Alabasta. If he voices a complaint of me staying behind for him… tell him I don't leave people behind."

"We will pass along the message… be sure to stay clear of the Unluckies they report to the boss_ directly. _Be sure to stay away from the other higher tier agents." Miss Monday informed.

"Wait, who are the other the pairs? Do I need to worry about them?" Lightning asked them.

"Well… Mr. 1 pair, they are like ghosts and no one knows the identity unlike the bosses partner Miss All Sunday." Mr. 9 informed him.

"Mr. 2 is a flamboyant ballerina with a loud voice who wears a swan coat, with the words "Bon Clay" written on the back. If you know what Okama is you will easily know it's him?" Miss Monday informed him.

"Mr. 3 are the art pair… he is more tactical and smart wit unlike the Mr. 4 pairing. He tends to use his brain to take down his opponents and collects high bounties. The largest bounty he ever caught alone was 42, 000, 000 bounty. The fact that there are 1, 800 members called millions that work under Frontier agents. They are numbered through 6 through 12 pairings in our organization. The Billions are essentially 200 members and next to become a number if a position needs to be fulfilled. They work for Officer Agents ranging 5 to 0 and no one else." Mr. 9 informed him.

Lightning nodded to them as he waved goodbye. "Be safe and don't work for shady people no more… the Baroque Works believes the three of you are dead. I will be heading off to another island following the pose. Do you guys have any idea what it is called?" He asked him as he pulled off the shore.

"The next island is rumored to be called Little Garden. No one knows what's there, but everyone knows it's dangerous." Miss Monday explained. He finally waved off to them as he sailed on.

"Bye Bye Baby! I hope you succeed on your quest!" Mr. 9 shouted.

Lightning finally hit open sea now as he looked at his helm's Log Pose. It was pointing the nearby island as he noticed the sun was rising.

"Well I get to see another sunrise… it seems like Miss All Sunday thinks I'm some sort of fool." Lightning muttered. "Dot can you keep course for me until I get situated. I need to count the treasure I obtained, take a shower, and then make breakfast. Try to make it a priority to contact the Straw-hats and the princess using our scout bird. It will be ideal that we catch up to their boat. Plus keeping an eye on Miss All Sunday would have been an ideal thing too…" Lightning told her.

"_I already placed a tracking device aboard their ship Lightning. It was when you were still fighting the Baroque Works agents last night. On another note I managed to attach a small spider robot to her before she left."_Dot informed him as he smiled.

"You do realize that was still in development right, Dot." Lightning asked his AI.

"_Of course, but after finding out her history she might have a trust issue with people. I decided to send one at just in case she doesn't come back." _Dot explained.

"Well it's better to be safe than sorry Thanks Dot, I will leave it to you to navigate." Lightning informed her as he picked up the huge treasure chest. He headed indoors to get to his living room as he noticed lingering scent of flowers in the area.

"_It seemed she left after she used the bathroom on my boat… well at least focus on how the leak of information got out. I most likely think it came from Alabasta. I told Cobra to not handle out my information to anyone else. Placing my file in a safe with explosives attached to it. But I think it's on the honorary knight registry still. I think the people of Erumalu might have given the information to her. I will deal with when the times comes thought. _"Lightning thought.

…

Lightning walked out of his bedroom as he wore a simple white shirt and black pants. He lazily walked to the kitchen to make breakfast. He looked out the window to see his boat progressing forward into the sea.

He looked at the clock on the wall to see it was eight o'clock now.

"_The scout bird has located the Straw-hats ship and I notice something weird about them." _Dot informed him as he sat back on his couch.

"What's odd about them other than their strength, lack of common sense, and crazy antics?" Lightning asked her.

"_They seem to be taking it easy by relaxing. At the current speeds even you can catch them by nightfall." _Dot informed him.

A blearing alarm went off on his boat. He got up and looked around.

"Status report Dot…" Lightning asked her.

"_It seems to be your client has finally returned. Do you want me to let her in?" _she asked as Lightning shrugged.

"I wasn't prepared for guests to be coming on my boat, but I might as well let her in." Lightning muttered in a bit disdain.

"_Very well… I will trust your best judgment."_

Lightning looked to the front of the door as he saw the glass door slide open now. He saw the very same woman he met before standing there with a smile on her face.

"It looks like we meet again Nico Robin; I thought was blown off seeing you were quite interested in those kids. Then you go off trying to blow up the man I was supposed to protect." Lightning explained as he closed his eyes. 

"It looks like we both really truthfully about each other. But the fact remains that holding back half-truths is also still a lie Lightning D. Farron." Robin explained to him as she sauntered into the cabin.

"Your beginning to tick me off… they are times I dislike people who try to manipulate me or double cross me. You're giving me a reason to try and take you in on that false bounty of yours." Lightning muttered as he opened one eye to look at her. "I don't see the reason to chase after me for job knowing my circumstances. You most likely looked up my background information before I arrived in Alabasta two years ago." Lightning explained.

"How perceptive of you, but the information given was a little light for my taste. I had to check if any honorary knights might join the fight. Your name was quite the interesting one on the list and you were almost a ghost to the world. For a dead man you look good…" Robin complimented him with a smile.

Lightning shrugged a bit as couldn't care less. "So you took three years to dig up information on me with no avail. You only know the basic information on me and some of it can be falsified." Lightning clarified.

"Is that why the reason you didn't outright attack me?" Robin asked him.

"I'm not some idiot who can be lulled with ease with information the World Government provides. Majority of the world are idiots or others living in ignorance. An eight year old child supposedly destroying six Marine Warships with a paramecia devil fruit is absurd. The boats back then were twice the size of giants and they are even bigger now. On top the fact the Navy employs marines that can counter devil fruits on top of Logia users. I have seen better lies than that from a two year old child." Lightning muttered.

Robin smiled a bit wider. "May we talk over breakfast then about the details Hikari-san?" She asked him politely as he got off the couch.

"Very well… seeing I haven't managed to eat breakfast yet. I was planning on making crepes for breakfast." Lightning explained to her.

"Thank you for having me…" Robin thanked her as he shrugged heading towards his kitchen.

"I will try to have breakfast ready in an hour so sit tight." He informed her.

"Pardon me, but I would like to ask you something." Robin asked him.

"Go ahead since you are my guest aboard my ship."

"I would like to take a bath please and wash my clothes here. I don't have a full ship to actually rest and relax like yours."

Lightning turned a bit with some shock in his eyes and confusion.

"_What the hell I got myself into?" _Lightning thought.


	7. SBS

**A/N I promised to show an SBS of the OC and what type of voice he has in Japanese and English as well. All thanks to Drago reminding me I needed one. So I tried to provide something reasonable and not overpowered at the moment. I will explain a bit of his current abilities and strength along weaknesses. I try to place him on a level like Kakashi's but not like Naruto's jutsu. Giving Hikari the move sets a bit of fantasy and science base despite his powers looking magic. It's something to tide you guys over until the new chapter, but if you have complaints feel free to review or PM. Maybe I can make more of a balance for you guys. See you guys later I'm out! **

**A/N Revised only for the essential SBS questions. Abilities will be explained on another date. **

…

**Special SBS: Lightning D. Farron (OC) or Hikari**

…

Animal: Wolf

Specific Numbers: 11:07

Birthday: January 30

Height: 6, 3  
Age: 23

Specific colors: Silver and Gold

Specific smell: rain water and sea water

Favorite Island: Spring Island with summer weather

Favorite foods: Pizza, sachertorte, ice cream, and donuts. Mostly hardy foods that are cooked not manufactured.

As a family: Father/Uncle  
Gender swap: Knowledge is power.  
Nationality: German  
Inner Brain: experiments, crew, train, focus, and adapt.  
Suited flower: Daffodil  
Blood type: S/0  
Bathing: everyday

Muscle frame: he has a medium build allowing him not to be big and bulky looking.

Hair style: Is like Riku's from Kingdom hearts 2 and as a kid Riku's first hair style.

Voice: Is the English and Japanese version of Riku's voice.

Fashion/ Clothing: He has a view of being Utilitarian style clothing. Meaning most of his clothes are designed for being useful without regard to other values. Lightning often views the other things as bonuses to the overall design. Why wear clothing that will damage in combat at times or experiments'. He often wears very durable clothing and wearing armor like clothing he designed for battle.

He often wears simple shirts, masks, flack jackets', sandals, boots, and gloves. The armor he wears consists of high tensile strength made of steel or titanium in certain fabrics. It's imbued with other fabrics to give that comfortable feeling. It reduces the itching or chaffing it can do his skin.

Another note is the fact he wears a different types of armor such as stealth one or a full combat one if needed. One chapter explains the function of the stealth one and how it hooks up to machines to increase performance. Prototype armor was designed ten years ago to be… well I explain on another time. But wearing such armor is hindrance to his fighting style.

The cloak Lightning wears is resistant to chemicals, burns, frost, and poison. But repeated abuse destroys the armor and its protection.

His abilities are even unknown to him… as he hunts for a truth on where they come from. I will list abilities in the near future.


End file.
